The Batter
by honeypeachcake
Summary: Shun Inoue wasn't planning to join the host club. She also wasn't planning for someone to still be in the boys' locker room. But when her true identity is found out, what choice does she have? However, it turns out that one little accident changed her life for the better. [Hikaru x OC]
1. Exciting Revelations Are Made!

**Hello, and thank you for choosing to read this story! The story will take place during the events of the anime and will follow the order of the anime's episodes, but I will include a few original "episodes" as well. I will probably continue the story after the anime's ending, but we'll see how it works out!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Exciting Revelations Are Made!**

* * *

The club room was quiet and serene, the only sounds being the clicks of Kyoya's calculator and the clinking of silverware as Honey feasted on his third piece of cake. Tamaki was absent, as he had rushed off to the locker room minutes before after remembering that he had left something behind after his gym class had ended. The Hitachiin twins were lounging on one of the love seats, bored as usual, while both Haruhi and Mori were reading quietly. Kyoya eventually broke the silence by making a sound of perplexity as he studied the club's numbers.

"This is strange," he said with slight confusion. "It seems that the rate of our spending has increased above the rate of our weekly income even though we haven't overshot the budget. I wonder why that is."

Haruhi paused from her reading. "Actually, come to think of it, there haven't been as many girls coming to the host club, at least compared to how many usually come," she noted. The twins looked at each other, both thinking the same thing.

"Do you think it has anything to do—" Hikaru started.

"—with that guy?" Kaoru finished.

"What guy?" Haruhi questioned. Usually she didn't particularly become invested in the host club's financial matters, but if the club were to start running out of money, Kyoya might just start increasing her debt. The mere thought, although improbable, still made her shudder.

"I'm curious as well. Please, inform us." Kyoya sat back in his chair calmly, awaiting their responses.

"Well, he transferred in about the same time you did, Haruhi," Kaoru said.

"We didn't really pay attention to him at first, but he's started to become pretty popular with the ladies ever since he joined the baseball team," Hikaru added.

"Oh, you must be talking about Shun!" Honey piped in, now finishing his fifth piece of cake.

Kyouya straightened his glasses. "Ah, now I know who you're talking about."

"You know who he is?" the twins asked simultaneously, taking no notice to Haruhi slumping in her chair.

"Well, of course." Kyoya's glasses shimmered as he pulled out his notorious black notebook and flipped through its mysterious pages. "Shun Inoue. 1st year, Class A. He transferred to Ouran Academy on a full-paid scholarship, similar to Haruhi. In only the seventh grade, his team won the prefecture's baseball championship. He is currently the captain of Ouran's baseball team—number 36—and is one of their best players because of the strength of his right arm, which allows him to score home runs easily and strike out opposing players constantly." The book snapped shut. "I can only assume that his rising popularity has caused all of our regular customers to migrate to his practices to watch him instead of visiting the host club."

"What are we gonna do, Kyo-chan? If we run out of money, we can't be in the host club anymore!" Honey cried, looking quite distressed. (He was now starting his seventh piece of cake.)

Kyoya pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose once more. "There is nothing we really can do as of this moment without upsetting any of our guests," he paused, "so I suppose we'll just have to... work around it."

"That sounds pretty shady," said the twins. Everyone else shared the same thought.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

* * *

The tapping of shoes against the hallway's smooth floors echoed around the walls. Tamaki rushed around the corridors, frantically searching for the entrance to the locker rooms. He almost skidded past it before he stopped himself and hurried in. In his haste, he ignored the sound of the shower running and the loud rustling of a plastic curtain. His eyes quickly skimmed over the numbers until he found his and yanked it open.

It was empty.

 _Phew! I guess I was just hallucinating when I thought I forgot my wallet!_ Tamaki sighed in relief before turning the corner and glancing briefly at a girl hurriedly shoving clothes in a duffel bag. He was about to continue on his way until he did a double-take. _What's a girl doing in the boys' locker room?_ Approaching slowly, he tried to question her.

"Excuse me, miss—" To his shock, she bolted before he could finish, leaving her shoes behind in her haste. He quickly snatched them and ran after her in an attempt to give them back, rambling desperately as he tried to get her to stop.

"Excuse me! Please stop running! I just want to return something! I'm serious! I promise I won't tell anyone that you were in the boys' locker room!" _How fast is this girl?_ Stopping to catch his breath, Tamaki watched her unknowingly dash into the club room. "Hey, wait!"

* * *

 _I thought everybody had left the locker room!_ The girl thought to herself as she bent over to catch her breath. _All I wanted was to take a shower and go home in peace_ , she lamented pitifully. _Now where am I?_ After backing herself up against the wall like a caged bird, she finally spared a look at her surroundings.

To her absolute horror, there were people in the room, all of whom were staring at her in surprise. Swallowing the huge lump in her throat, she stood up straight and clapped her hands together, bowing deeply.

"Don't tell anyone else about this!" she pleaded loudly.

Her words echoed around the marble walls of the music room, and it was a long while before she finally heard slow steps approaching her. Her head stayed down, as she feared that if she were to look up, she would be faced with the worst humiliation. However, her eyes widened immediately once she recognized the voice speaking to her.

"Shun?"

Shun whipped her head up and stared at the person in front of her with wide eyes. "Haruhi?"

Suddenly, something burst through the doors.

"I JUST WANT TO RETURN YOUR SHOES!" Tamaki yelled, before noticing the tense atmosphere around him. "What happened?" Clueless, as usual.

"So Shun Inoue—"

"—is a girl, huh?"

Somewhere in the background, Honey gasped loudly. Kyoya adjusted his glasses again and smiled.

"What an interesting turn of events."

* * *

After Shun fixed herself up, as she had dressed in a hurry and thus her baseball uniform was rumpled and mismatched, Kyoya sat her down at one of the large tables in the room. Her head was bent over in shame, her hands clutched in her lap while she silently hoped that she wouldn't get in over her head with these people. Kyoya stood in front of her, his hand holding his chin as he carefully thought about what to do with this compelling information. Finally, after a painfully quiet few minutes, Shun lifted her head and spoke.

"I'll do anything you want, just don't tell anyone that I'm a girl!" she said, her expression stern despite the butterflies—actually, they were more like giant moths—fluttering in her stomach.

Eyeing her the cold determination in her eyes carefully, Kyoya replied, "I had no intention of doing that, Miss Inoue."

"If he wasn't going to do it—" Hikaru wondered.

"—then why didn't he just say that in the beginning?" Kaoru finished Hikaru's thought, and the twins eyed each other warily. Shun could feel her heart slowly beginning its painful descent into her stomach with every passing second.

"But if you really are willing to do anything we want," Kyoya smiled, although it seemed as fake as crystalized sugar to Shun, "then I propose this: if you join the host club and work as a host, then we will make certain that your true gender is never found out."

Haruhi worriedly glanced over at Shun after hearing Kyoya's proposal, and it was safe to say that she had not taken the news lightly. It looked like her soul was being slowly sapped from her body.

"W-What?" Shun mumbled weakly. _When I said I would do anything, I wasn't expecting this!_ She stumbled out of her chair and collapsed to the floor on her hands and knees.

 _I regret everything._

"Shu-chan!" Honey wailed.

Tamaki finally caught up with the situation and placed a hand on Kyoya's shoulder questioningly. "Kyoya, are you sure about this? I'm certain we can keep Shun's secret without forcing her to be a host, right? Besides, we don't necessarily _need_ a new host."

"I disagree. Since Shun is already quite popular amongst the ladies, having her in the host club would most certainly be beneficial. In addition, even if we were to let her be, the club's financial situation would only become more difficult to resolve. I believe having her here will solve both problems easily."

Everyone in the club stared at Kyoya in shock, save for Mori and Shun, the latter of the two still groveling on the floor.

" ** _Did you plan that?!_** "

Kyoya looked mildly surprised at their accusation. "Of course not." He turned around and walked back to where his computer and notes sat, although Haruhi thought she saw the ghost of a sly grin on his face.

 _No wonder he's called the Shadow King,_ she thought with a shiver. Turning back, Haruhi could see that Shun was still collapsed on the floor, obviously shell-shocked. She reached forward and shook Shun's shoulder, worried about her mental state.

"Hey, Shun, are you alright?"

Shun seemed to snap out of her daze at that moment and weakly stood up with wobbly legs, her shoulders drooping. "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I just have to accept my fate, huh?" Shun tried to reassure herself awkwardly. Haruhi couldn't help but sheepishly smile back.

"By the way, Haruhi—" Kaoru suddenly appeared behind the host in question, resting his elbow on her shoulder while Hikaru followed suit.

"—how did you know who Shun was when she ran into the club room?"

A mildly surprised look crossed Shun's face. "She never told you that we're family?"

"What? You're related?" the twins asked, dumbfounded.

"Haru-chan, you never told us about Shun!"

"Yeah."

Out of all of the reactions, Tamaki looked the most flabbergasted. "Haruhi! How come you never told me about this? Oh no, Haruhi's keeping secrets from me!" Tamaki wailed dramatically, tears dribbling down his face. "Have I done something to upset you? Please don't be angry at me, Haruhi!"

"Jeez, this is exactly why I didn't tell you anything," Haruhi muttered.

"Actually, I'd like to know, too." Haruhi turned around to see Shun's inquiring (and slightly peeved) face, and she sighed in resignation.

"I knew that you didn't want too much attention because of the whole baseball thing, so I thought it would be better if I just never mentioned it," she said simply with a shrug of the shoulders. Shun smiled slightly, touched by Haruhi's true thoughtfulness. (But not _too_ touched, as she was still a little miffed.)

"How honorable of you, Haruhi! How truly respectable!" Instantly switching out of his melodramatic sorrow that would have put Hamlet to shame, Tamaki swept up the two girls in a suffocating hug. "You didn't want to trouble your dear family member, so you kept her secret! You're so loving!"

Before the pair could be crushed in Tamaki's embrace, Mori scooped them out of his arms and set them back down on the ground gently.

"Well, I guess that settles it then," Kyoya closed his laptop and stood up. "Welcome to the Ouran Host Club, Shun." At this, Honey began clapping happily, his face smeared with the remains of his tenth piece of cake.

"By the way, Kyoya," Hikaru began, "if Shun is going to be a host, what type will she be?"

"Yeah, we already have most of the types covered," Kaoru added.

Nodding his head in thought, Tamaki beamed with a look of excitement. There was practically a lightbulb shining above his head. "Shun, tomorrow you will start your job as a host," he said as he pointed his finger directly at her, "as the boyish type!"

" _What?_ "

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I know that in terms of Shun's appearance I have not given any details yet, but that's mainly because I wanted to focus on the introduction. However, her appearance will be given in the next chapter—most likely in the author's note—since I am terrible at explicitly writing it into the story.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	2. Shun Is Definitely The Boyish Type!

**The next chapter is here! To anyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed, thank you very much! Sorry if this chapter is a little short.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Shun Is Definitely The Boyish Type!**

* * *

"Welcome, ladies!"

The doors to the third music room opened slowly, petals swirling out from inside. All of the hosts were standing tall, holding their arms out welcomingly to the eager guests—save for Shun, who was slouching slightly and had her hands buried in her pockets. As the girls began filtering into the large room and seating themselves, Tamaki swiveled Shun around to face him.

"You mustn't slouch like that, Shun!" Tamaki scolded. "A proper host has good posture!"

"Fine, whatever," Shun grumbled, walking away to seat herself in front of the fervent guests that were awaiting her. As soon as she gracelessly plopped herself down on the elegantly embroidered sofa, the girls were quick to bombard her with questions.

"Why did you decide to join the host club, Shun?"

"Uh, well, I—"

"Which tea do you prefer—Darjeeling or chamomile?"

"Either, I gue—"

"Are you still going to play baseball even though you're in the host club?"

"Of course, I—"

Watching Shun flounder around to answer the girls' questions was most certainly amusing, but the Hitachiin twins felt as if they should save the drowning host.

"Hey, ladies," they piped in, each placing a hand on Shun's shoulders, "did you know that Shun and Haruhi are related?"

"Really? I never knew that!"

"I guess they do look alike! The only main difference between them is their eye color!" one girl piped up cheerfully, but her face soon fell when she noticed Shun lift her fingers to her eyes in (what the girl assumed was) self-consciousness. "B-But there's nothing wrong with your eye color, Shun! I think that your eyes are a wonderful shade of mocha brown!" the girl sputtered quickly as her friends began to chastise her for upsetting Shun. However, their attention was quickly diverted when they saw Shun turn her head away bashfully.

"Nobody's really complimented my eyes before." A small smile formed on Shun's lips. "Thanks."

The three girls' faces flushed a vibrant shade of red, and they began prattling on about how adorably modest Shun was. The twins couldn't help but admire Shun's natural hosting talent as well. _There's no doubt that Shun and Haruhi are family,_ they thought to themselves.

Suddenly, Tamaki shoved the two out of the way and dramatically pointed at Shun's slumped form on the sofa.

"Why are you sitting like that?!" Tamaki gasped, clearly dismayed.

"Like what?" Shun asked innocently. Her legs were outstretched under the glass table, with her right arm resting on the back of the sofa while she leaned on the cushions comfortably. She didn't think there was anything wrong with how she sat.

Tamaki seemed to get even more frustrated at her obliviousness. "Like a... a THUG!"

"A thug?" the twins echoed.

Tamaki spiraled off into a tangent. "A true host should not be sitting so leisurely! It's inappropriate! A true host should be sitting up straight like any fine gentleman would! That's what it means to be a—!"

"While your ramblings are amusing," Kyouya interrupted, "it doesn't seem like Shun's posture is doing any damage. In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite." He gestured with his ballpoint pen to the girls who had gathered around Shun and were positively gushing over her unabashed behavior. The impudent finger that was pointed at Shun wilted, leaving Tamaki a babbling mess as he attempted to formulate an excuse.

"B-B-But, but, but, but...!"

"Hmm..." Hikaru and Kaoru quietly observed the scene before hiding their mouths behind their hands and whispering to each other conspiringly. "The boss seems very keen on keeping Haruhi and Shun from acting boyishly." They both grinned sneakily. "It's probably because he wants to keep them feminine so he can secretly admire them all of the time. How creepy."

"No! I'm not trying to be creepy!" Tamaki cried. "I just want them to grow up as good people and live happily!"

"I can hear you, y'know." Shun felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. _What's wrong with these people?_

"Um, excuse me, Shun," a shy girl seated next to her piped up. "What do you like about playing baseball?"

Shun's face lit up with delight. _Finally, something I can talk about!_ "Well, there're lots of things I like about baseball!" Grinning cheekily, Shun leaned back, resting her arms behind her head. "Whenever I play, I kind of enter a trance, y'know? There's just nothing like it. And also," she straightened up, "it's really thrilling whenever I hit a home run!" Miming swinging a bat, Shun laughed heartily, and the girls beside her raved over how cute she was.

"When did you start playing?" another girl inquired.

Shun returned to her position on the sofa. "Well, I guess it started when I saw a baseball game on TV. I thought the game looked pretty cool, so I immediately asked my old man if I could play." Her eyelids lowered as she smiled fondly at the memory. "Even though I was only a preschooler at the time, he told me to go for it, and that he would help me through it no matter what."

All of the hosts were now gathered around Shun and her guests, listening intently to her story.

"I owe a lot to my parents," Shun said softly. "They often had to work overtime to support our family, yet they still spared some of their time to help me. And that's why," she said as she raised her fist determinedly and stood up, "I'm gonna become a famous big-league player and pay them back!"

Noticing everyone's sudden silence, Shun looked around the room. Tamaki and all of the guests were gazing at her with starry eyes while the rest of the hosts stared at her in surprise. Breaking the silence, Tamaki rushed forward and grabbed both of Shun's hands, encasing them in his own as he began rattling out numerous compliments.

"How honorable of you, Shun! To be so determined to pay your parents back is admirable! I, as well, will support you as much as I can! You can count on me!" he said enthusiastically as he squeezed her hands between his.

"We'll support you too, Shun!" the girls wailed, some pulling out handkerchiefs to dab at their watery eyes.

Honey raised his hand. "Us too! Right, Takashi?" Mori nodded his head silently.

The twins had both brought out handkerchiefs of their own. "How touching!" they sniffled, their shoulders shaking.

Shun could feel her face burn with embarrassment. "I-It's not that big a deal or anything!" she stammered, desperate to get the attention off of her. "I don't need you to support me!"

"There's no need to be shy!" Tamaki cooed lovingly, patting her cheeks between his hands. Shun pinched the offending appendages in irritation, making him jump back in astonishment before he retreated to the corner of the club room to sulk.

"Don't get so touchy-feely with me!" she yelled as she grit her teeth, still disgruntled by the sudden show of affection. To her displeasure, this made all of the guests squeal adoringly once again, with exclamations of 'He's so cute when he's flustered!', 'Shun is so adorable!', and 'He's my new favorite host!' ringing out among them.

 _The girls at this school really have too much time on their hands,_ Shun thought to herself. She flinched when she felt a hand on her back. Thinking it was Tamaki, she whirled around, but she was only met with the friendly face of Haruhi.

"It looks like you're pretty good at this," Haruhi complimented Shun humbly, observing the elated girls who were enthusiastically chatting about their new favorite host.

Shun crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in response. "It's not like I'm trying to be."

* * *

 **Later...**

* * *

Kyouya was pressing numbers into his calculator, and Haruhi noticed that he was typing the day's income into his computer a bit faster than usual. She would have thought he was gleeful if it weren't the Shadow King she was referring to.

"Well, it seems you've gained quite a bit of popularity." Kyouya smiled at Shun, shutting his computer and tucking it under his arm. "Coincidentally, we've also resolved the issue concerning our expenses. I assume I have you to thank."

"Don't mention it," Shun replied wearily as she sunk down into her chair, completely exhausted. _I guess I'm basically your money tree._ Glancing with tired eyes at the corner of the room, she spotted Tamaki still brooding in the corner.

"Uh, Tamaki-senpai, you alright?" she asked, sitting up in her chair.

"I think he's still upset," Haruhi said, walking towards Shun. "You should probably apologize. You _were_ pretty mean to him, after all." She placed a hand on Shun's shoulder. Looking up at Haruhi in surprise, she gazed over at Tamaki with a softer expression and stood up, slowly trudging over to him. Finally, she crouched down next to him, placing her hands on her knees.

"Um, I'm sorry for acting out like that," she apologized guiltily. "I'm not really used to having so much attention on me at once. I guess I'll just have to get used to it, right?" Laughing awkwardly, Shun rubbed the back of her neck.

Tamaki's head turned slightly, and he suddenly sprang up from his position on the floor. Shun jumped, losing her balance and falling on her rear. Haruhi rushed over to help her up, but both of them were quickly engulfed in Tamaki's arms.

"Oh, my little girls are so cute! I forgive you, Shun!" Tamaki cried jovially as he squeezed the life out of the two.

"That wasn't an invitation for you to hug me!" Shun's voice was quickly muffled when Tamaki continued to swing the two girls around.

Eventually, he set them both down and held his chin, striking a pose. "So, what do you think of the host club, Shun?"

At that, Shun burst out laughing, much to the shock of everyone else. "It's insane!"

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed! The next chapter is when I'll start following the anime's order of episodes. This chapter was basically to give you an idea of Shun's character. Now, about Shun's appearance, it is slightly similar to Haruhi's—as mentioned by one of the girls. The only main differences between them are that Shun is a bit taller (around 5'4"), has a more 'strong' build (i.e. broader shoulders, stronger muscles, etc.), and has shorter, messier hair. To put it simply, it would be harder to tell if Shun was a girl than it would be to tell if Haruhi was a girl, but if someone were to look closely, it would become obvious.**


	3. Beware The Physical Exam!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Beware The Physical Exam!**

* * *

Slipping on the outfit Kyouya had given her, Shun gazed at the mirror to observe her reflection. Her dark brown hair was combed and neatly parted to the right, and—sporting a black button-down vest and a long, white waist-apron—she was fit to be a proper waiter, although she noticed that the seams at her shoulders felt a bit too tight. Pulling back the changing room curtain, Shun stepped out quietly while fumbling with her brown string tie.

Honey's face immediately lit up upon seeing Shun's appearance. "Wow, you look really handsome, Shu-chan!" he complimented brightly.

"Oh, uh, thanks, I guess." Shun shrugged her shoulders casually.

"So, what do you think of it, Shun?" Tamaki inquired as he twirled over to her in a brilliance of rose petals and sparkles.

Shun stared at him blankly. "It's okay." At her answer, Tamaki fell over dramatically, as if he had been horribly offended. "Although, my shoulders feel kind of cramped."

"That's because your shoulders are broader than Haruhi's." Hikaru appeared on her left, resting his elbow on her head while Kaoru mirrored him on her right.

"Gee, thanks a lot," Shun muttered.

"If you had just let us take your measurements, we wouldn't have had to give you an outfit in Haruhi's size," Kaoru pointed out.

Nudging the twins' arms off of her, she hastily scurried over to Haruhi. "There's no way I would let you guys take my measurements."

Sighing in exasperation, Haruhi turned to Shun and began undoing her tie. Shun watched her inquisitively.

"What are you doing?" Shun asked.

"Fixing your tie. You completely messed it up." Haruhi chuckled. "There," she said as she finished, patting Shun's shoulder gently. Shun rubbed the back of her neck and sheepishly grinned in gratitude before noticing Tamaki staring at the both of them while smiling tearfully. Suddenly, he rushed forward and swooped them up in a suffocating hug.

"My little girls are so adorable!" he cooed affectionately. "Haruhi is so motherly towards Shun! How cute!"

"Get off me!" Shun shouted as she tried to pry herself from Tamaki's grasp.

* * *

 **At the reception...**

* * *

 _These damn rich people_ , Shun thought bitterly to herself. _I can't believe I have to wear this ridiculous getup and attend a frilly flower-viewing session._ Shun tugged at the uncomfortable collar of her dress shirt in irritation. _Why did I have to get stuck with the waiter outfit? Why couldn't I have worn one of the kimonos with the looser collars?_ She was soon pulled out of her morose thoughts by the girls seated in front of her.

"Are you alright, Shun? You look a bit uncomfortable." One of the girls was looking at her with a concerned expression. Shun quickly waved her hands in reassurance.

"No, no, I'm fine. It's just that I'm not really used to wearing this kind of stuff." As she spoke, an idea entered her mind. "Actually, if you don't mind..." After pulling the tie around her neck loose, Shun undid the first two buttons of her shirt and exhaled contentedly. _Ah, much better._ Looking up, she noticed the girls' faces had all flared crimson, and they erupted into a fit of electrified squeals.

"Shun, you're so daring!"

"You shouldn't do that! I won't be able to handle it!"

"You're so handsome!"

 _The girls at this school are really weird._ Seeing as they were distracted, Shun quickly leapt at the chance for a break. As she was walking over to a cloth-covered table to grab a few snacks, she abruptly turned her head at the sound of a cup clattering, which was followed by Kaoru wincing in pain.

Shun glanced over at the twins' table and was about to walk over—until she saw Hikaru lift Kaoru's burnt finger to his lips and kiss it tenderly.

"Really, Kaoru. You have to be more careful. From now on, keep your eyes on me, okay?"

"Yes, Hikaru."

The girls all began shrieking at this, and one may have even fainted. _It's not just the girls at this school that are strange._ Sighing tiredly, Shun drew out a cloth napkin from the breast pocket of her vest and handed it to Kaoru.

"Here, Kaoru." She pushed the neatly folded napkin into his hand. He looked slightly surprised at the gesture.

"Uh, thanks, Shun."

After witnessing the 'heartwarming' scene, the guests seated at Hikaru's and Kaoru's table immediately began chatting amongst each other with enthusiasm.

"Shun caring for Kaoru is so adorable! And Shun is so bashful, look at him blush! Ah, I can't take it! It's overwhelming!" One girl placed the back of her hand against her forehead and turned away.

The one seated next to her began to chastise her friend. "No, you have to watch this! You may not get another chance! Who knows if it will happen again!" she scolded.

"You are absolutely right, my guests," Kyouya agreed as he suddenly appeared beside the two of them, his voice adopting a much friendlier tone. "All beauty is fleeting. Just look at these cherry blossoms. You'll never be able to see them like this again."

Shun gaped at him, completely flabbergasted. _Since when did he turn into some enigmatic poet? He's definitely different from when I first met him._ She shuddered at the memory, but she was distracted again when Kyouya swiftly pulled out a photo book with a picture of the Hitachiin twins on the cover.

"That's why I've compiled this picture book that captures the beauty of each and every day." Shun gawked when Kyouya pulled out three more books and fanned them out in his hands in front of the girls.

"Incidentally, I've prepared similar books of the other hosts as well." Kyouya smiled charmingly at the two girls. "If you ladies are interested in collecting all four of them, I'll discount the whole set for you."

Shun's jaw dropped open in shock. _He's turning it into an enterprise?!_

The girls immediately yanked out their wallets. "I'll take them!"

"Me too, please! But, if I may ask, are there any photo books of Shun available?"

Kyouya adjusted his glasses before materializing another book out of thin air. "Well, of course."

Shun could feel her face burn fiercely with anger. "You can't take pictures of me without asking! That's illegal!" Stomping over to Kyouya, she attempted to snatch the book from his hands, but he held it above his head, far out of her reach. Feeling a force pull her back, she whipped her head around, only to see Hikaru and Kaoru with their arms resting on her shoulders.

"Calm down, Shun. They're just pictures," they assured her nonchalantly, as if it weren't such a big deal.

"Would you mind not using me as an armrest?" Shun muttered under her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Haruhi standing alone. She pushed the twins' elbows off of her back—ignoring their indignant protests—and made her way over to Haruhi. Standing next to her silently, Shun mimicked Haruhi's actions as she closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

Haruhi briefly peered over at Shun. "Are you feeling alright? I know they can be difficult sometimes, but these guys are all good people," she reassured her sympathetically.

Smirking, Shun lazily slung an arm around Haruhi's shoulders. "I'll be able to stick it out as long as you're here. I'd probably lose it if I didn't have you around to keep me levelheaded all of the time." Haruhi laughed out loud at that.

"Haruhi, Shun," Tamaki called. The two hosts both turned to face him, the person in question posing with his back to them. "How are both of you doing? Are you having a good time?" he asked them in his typical princely manner.

"Not really," Shun mumbled sourly.

"The flower-viewing reception is going quite well." Tamaki turned around a bit. "But even so, it's rather tiring to spend more time being admired than doing the admiring."

"Wow, senpai, you're blooming in more ways than one," Haruhi said, looking unimpressed.

He abruptly pointed at her. "You noticed!" He struck a dramatic pose and continued with his self-praising speech. "Yes, today my beauty is quite splendid. I'm in full bloom!" Winking at Haruhi, he waved his finger at her in a teasing gesture. "I bet you'll fall for me soon!"

Glancing over at Haruhi, Shun could see her eyebrow twitching.

Haruhi was then curtly pulled back by the twins, who had begun discussing what courses she would be choosing for the term.

"It's too bad you're not taking all of the same classes, Shun." Hikaru had grabbed Shun's arm and tugged her towards them, halting her journey to claim an enticing frosted shortcake. "It would be a lot more fun if all four of us were together."

"Thanks for the tempting offer, Hikaru," Shun griped, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "but I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Her eyes drifted over to the shortcakes on the platter nearby, and she wriggled out of Hikaru's grasp to continue weaving her way towards the table, not noticing him stare after her in bewilderment for a moment.

After finally grabbing a cake, Shun was about to happily stuff it into her mouth until she heard a loud commotion near the back of the reception.

 _What could they be getting into now? S_ he sighed exasperatedly to herself as she approached the hosts that were making a ruckus. However, before she could get a word out, Tamaki reached out and roughly grabbed both Haruhi and her by the shoulders, which caused the small cake to fall from Shun's hand. She could only mourn over her loss for a second, as Tamaki immediately began babbling in both of their faces.

"Listen, Haruhi, Shun!" he said with a panicked expression. "I want you to stop hanging out with those shady twins from now on!"

"Who are you calling shady?" Hikaru interjected.

"Yeah, take a good look at yourself, boss!" Kaoru retorted.

Tamaki bounced backwards with a shocked expression before it hardened into a determined one as he tightened his fist in front of him.

"Alright, then! We can't keep hiding the fact that you two are girls from the school any longer!" He shook his fist. "All daddy wants is for you to go back to the girls you used to be, for you to surround yourself with girl friends and start leading a wholesome life!" Tamaki wailed, then gripped the two girls' shoulders again and began shaking them back and forth.

"So do it, change back now, change right now!"

"You don't have to rush things, they'll be found out soon enough," Hikaru said matter-of-factly.

"Physical exams are the day after tomorrow," Kaoru added.

"Physical exams?" Haruhi looked at them questioningly, while Shun looked as if her stomach had just barreled down into her shoes.

"P-Physical e-e-exams?" Shun stuttered meekly to herself.

Haruhi placed a finger against her chin in thought. "Then that means... there's no doubt. They're gonna know that I'm a girl."

Wobbling on her feet, Shun clumsily fell to her knees and planted her hands on the ground in front of her. _What the hell am I gonna do?_


	4. The Doctor Is Now Present!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Doctor Is Now Present!**

* * *

Still shell-shocked, Shun stood between Hikaru and Kaoru, who—along with the other hosts—were observing Tamaki as he gazed off into the distance with a dopey expression.

"He must be having a good daydream," Honey surmised.

"He's kind of creeping me out," Hikaru muttered. At that, Tamaki stood up swiftly.

"Envious, Hikaru? This is all part of my strategy." Tamaki held his index finger up. "While you have wasted time blinded by your jealousy, I foresee the outcome of this charade." He then swung his arms out and sighed happily. "This story is obviously a romantic school comedy! Haruhi and I are the main characters, so that makes us love interests!"

"Yeah, then what are we?" the twins questioned.

"You guys," Tamaki said as he pointed at the hosts in front of him, "are the homosexual supporting cast!"

Shun snapped out of her daze instantly. _The what?_ She stared with wide eyes as Tamaki drew a line between them. _How did he draw a line in the floor using only a stick?!_

"Listen boss," Hikaru said.

"I don't think you get it," Kaoru finished.

Honey clutched his stuffed bunny tighter. "If word gets out that Haru-chan and Shu-chan are girls, then they won't be able to be in the host club anymore, and Shu-chan will get kicked off of the baseball team!" At this, Tamaki's face blanked.

"Although, if Haru-chan and Shu-chan started wearing girls' clothes, I bet they would be even cuter than they are now!" Honey chirped brightly.

"Haruhi dressed like a regular girl when she was in middle school, right? She must have been pretty popular with all the boys," Hikaru thought aloud.

Kyouya nodded in affirmation. "Yeah. According to my report, someone would declare their undying love to her at least once a month." He adjusted his glasses. "Shun is no slouch either. Although she didn't dress as a girl in middle school, other girls constantly gave her confession notes and gifts."

Shun gaped at him incredulously. "How the hell did he learn about that?!" she whispered to herself.

"Oh, I see," Kaoru said. "So the boss wouldn't even be able to get close to Haruhi!"

"But we'd be able to because we're in the same class!" Hikaru said sneakily as both he and Kaoru grinned slyly. Then, as if to break the tense atmosphere, Haruhi conveniently entered the room.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late—" she began, but was cut off as Tamaki grabbed both her and Shun by the shoulders once again.

"Don't worry!" he assured the two of them. "We're determined to keep your secrets! No one will find out that you're really girls during the physical exam tomorrow! So please, promise us that you'll stay our beloved secret princesses!"

The girls both blinked simultaneously. "Sure," Haruhi said blankly.

Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other. "I think both of us would be a little peeved if we had to watch all of the guys flirt with them," Hikaru admitted.

"Then that settles it," Kaoru concluded.

* * *

 **Operation: I Swear Haruhi and Shun Are Guys!**

* * *

Tamaki began tapping at things written on a whiteboard, and the two twins saluted in response. Looking over with a bored expression, Shun noticed that Haruhi was thinking about something. Finally coming to a conclusion, Haruhi placed her fist in her hand.

"I got it!" She lifted a finger to her chin. "You guys are worried because if they find out I'm a girl, I can't be a host and therefore can't repay my debt!" She then turned around and began listing off numbers to herself.

Smacking a hand against her forehead, Shun wiped it down her face and stared at Haruhi between her fingers. "Haruhi can be so dense sometimes," she muttered to herself.

Turning to the side, Haruhi rubbed her neck. "Well, guess I'll just have to find another way to pay you back." She then laughed nonchalantly as Shun's shoulders sagged at Haruhi's obliviousness. After that, she had stopped listening to whatever conversation was going on at the moment and was wracking her brain on what to do.

 _I can't let everyone find out I'm a girl! If they do, then I'll be removed from the baseball team!_ She rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration, pinching it between her index finger and thumb. _There's no way I'm gonna lose everything I've done to get this far!_ Shun was promptly brought out of her thoughts by Kyouya, who had placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her comfortingly.

"There's no reason for you to worry, Shun," he reassured her. "The terms of our agreement were that you would work for the host club and in return, we would keep your identity a secret. I am not one who would breach a contract, so you can relax."

The knot in her stomach uncoiled, and she sighed in relief. "Thanks, Kyouya-senpai."

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

The following day, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, and Shun walked through the halls together on the way to the physical examination.

"So, what do they do at the physical exams for Ouran anyway?" Haruhi questioned.

"It's no different than a physical exam you'd get at any other school," Hikaru replied simply.

"Yeah, why would a physical exam be different for us just because we're rich?" Kaoru added as the group neared the entrance doors.

 _I can think of many reasons why_ , Shun thought to herself as she pushed the doors open, the rest of the Class 1-A group trailing behind her. Two rows of identically dressed doctors and nurses met her eyes, and they all simultaneously greeted the students who were entering.

Haruhi gaped at the scene in front of her, while Shun looked mildly annoyed. "What is all this?" Haruhi asked incredulously, her shoulders drooping slightly.

The Hitachiin twins walked past them. "Just another physical exam," Hikaru stated plainly.

"The usual," Kaoru continued as he passed by Haruhi and Shun.

"Well _that_ doesn't sound arrogant at all," Shun said bitterly as she and Haruhi followed them. Two nurses approached the twins, and they promptly left to get their heights measured, leaving Haruhi and Shun by themselves. Then, two different nurses came up to the girls.

"Mister Fujioka, I'm your nurse for the physical exams. Please, come this way." The nurse took hold of Haruhi's wrist and gently led her past the many curtains lined up in the room, while the other nurse did the same with Shun. However, the two both stopped when they noticed Mori and Honey, donning lab coats and looking completely out of place. They both lifted their fingers to their lips in a shushing motion when the pair stared at them.

Kyouya appeared behind Haruhi and Shun suddenly. "I've got those two for backup, just in case something happens," he explained.

"Why are they dressed in doctor disguises?" Haruhi asked.

"They're just helping to set the mood." Kyouya adjusted his glasses before elaborating. "Disguises make our operation feel like a real espionage mission."

"Is that really necessary, though?" Shun thought aloud to herself, before accompanying Haruhi as they began making their way down the carpeted floor. However, their journey was once again halted.

"Hey, what's a crowd doing over there?" Tugging on Haruhi's sleeve, Shun gestured over at the throng of girls that were surrounding one of the curtained areas. Haruhi turned around and directed her gaze to where her cousin was pointing.

A nurse motioned towards the cream-colored curtain. "Hitachiin brothers, we're ready to take your chest measurements. You can use the area behind this curtain to undress."

Hikaru slipped his shirt off. "Doesn't matter to me."

"We're not shy, who needs a curtain?" Kaoru said shamelessly as he followed suit. The girls immediately began squealing in delight, waving their handkerchiefs frantically.

"That explains it," Shun said as she stared blankly at the commotion.

Kyouya observed the scene with a smile on his face. "Quite an impressive turnout today. Physical examination day is quite popular with the ladies."

 _What's wrong with the girls at this school?_ Shun thought to herself.

"I won't allow it." Hikaru grabbed Kaoru's shoulder. "It's not fair. I won't let those doctors touch you, Kaoru."

Kaoru chuckled. "What are you talking about? You don't seem to have a problem touching me when we play doctor at home. I can't get you to stop tickling me and toying with my body," he said teasingly.

At the sudden display, the girls in the crowd shrieked even louder. Shun plugged her ears with her fingers in an attempt to drown out the noise. "Do they have to be so loud?" she complained.

Then, Honey and Mori appeared out of the blue, dragging Haruhi and Shun along.

"Come on, this way!" Honey led them to an empty area and shoved them behind the curtain. Tamaki caught Haruhi in his arms effortlessly, while Shun landed clumsily on her knees.

Haruhi whirled around. "Tamaki-senpai?" she mumbled in surprise, falling to the floor.

Shun could feel sweat forming on her brow when she heard a voice from outside the curtain.

"Mister Fujioka? It's time for us to take your chest measurements. Once you've finished disrobing, please come with me," a nurse called.

After reassuring Haruhi and Shun to relax, Tamaki stepped towards the curtain. "I promise I'll protect you," Tamaki said gently as he exited.

Shun scooted closer to Haruhi as soon as he left. "Are you really sure his plan is going to work?" Shun whispered.

"I don't kno—" Haruhi began, but was soon interrupted by the sound of the twins' hysterical laughter mixed with the giggles of the girls surrounding them.

Tamaki soon appeared in front of Haruhi and Shun, quietly pulling back the curtain and hiding behind it. "I'm sorry. They figured it out..." he murmured.

At that, Haruhi and Shun whipped their heads around, shooting Tamaki glares so sharp they could slice through ice, thus causing Tamaki to scream in terror.

Shun was still fuming when she felt Kyouya tap her shoulder. "Haruhi, Shun, are you ready?" he spoke calmly as he placed a hand on his waist. "I went ahead and set up a separate room for you in the special boys' clinic. And I have a doctor standing by sworn to secrecy."

"It turns out all the doctors here today are on staff at one of Kyouya-senpai's hospitals," Hikaru said, shrugging his shoulders. The rest of the host club had also appeared around him.

"It would have been nice if he said something to us earlier," Kaoru commented.

Chuckling, Kyouya adjusted his glasses. "I had to get my revenge, too. I just don't think I'm supporting cast, homosexual or otherwise."

Knocking lightly on the door, Shun held it open for Haruhi when they were given the affirmation to enter. After the nurse informed them that she was made aware of their current situations, she motioned over to an area concealed by drapes, politely requesting them to disrobe for their chest measurements.

After entering the curtained area adjacent to Haruhi's, Shun quickly slipped off her blue uniform jacket, letting it fall to the ground. She had just finished undoing the buttons of her white undershirt when she heard Haruhi's startled voice, followed by the thumping of shoes.

"Haruhi! Are you okay?" Shun asked, worry lining her voice. Without thinking, she pushed past the curtain, only to witness Tamaki yell 'Tama-chan Kick!' as he slammed his foot into the face of a shabby-looking doctor.

"What the—" Shun sputtered, swiveling around when she heard the twins' voices behind her.

Both of them moved in front of her, each placing a hand on her shoulder in a protective gesture. "One: good looks that attract the public eye."

"Two," Kyouya said, stepping out from the shadows. "More wealth than you could imagine."

"Three: chivalry that will never be able to overlook—" Mori started in a deep voice.

"—the hideous crimes of this world," Honey finished intimidatingly.

Tamaki passed Haruhi and draped his shirt over her head. "That's what makes up the Ouran Host Club!"

The other hosts had all gathered around Shun and Haruhi. "We're here. Watch out!" they all said simultaneously.

The doctor gulped, his knees knocking together as they trembled in fear. "Please don't hurt me! Spare me my life!" he pleaded as he bowed to the floor. Before anybody could react, he began reciting his life story in a depressing manner.

 _Nobody really asked_ , Shun thought as he continued, explaining how his wife and daughter had left him, so he was searching for his daughter in order to see her again. In the midst of Tamaki rushing forward with tears of sympathy running down his cheeks, Kyouya lifted his gaze slightly.

"Dr. Yabu, I think you may have the wrong place," he said. "Are you looking for Ouran Public High School?"

Yabu glanced up at Kyouya in slight confusion. "Yeah, that's right."

"I figured that might be the case. This is Ouran Academy, a private institution. Your daughter doesn't go to school here," Kyouya informed him. A shocked expression quickly replaced the one of confusion on Yabu's face.

Shun watched as Tamaki stood up. "Kyouya, would you please find a map of all the public schools in this area? I'd like to help this man find his daughter," he said with a strange softness. Shun glanced up at Tamaki in surprise. _I've never seen this side of Tamaki-senpai before._

Kyouya smiled slightly as he turned away. "Whatever you say."

The host club watched as Yabu continued on his way, walking down the petal-laden path of Ouran Academy.

"Are you sure about this?" Hikaru wondered aloud.

"After all, even if he does find his daughter, there's no guarantee she'll want to speak to him," Kaoru carried on.

Tamaki's gaze was fixated on the retreating figure of Yabu. "Well then, that's something he'll just have to find out by himself," he answered.

Shun grinned to herself. _I guess these guys aren't so bad_ , she thought as she turned to face the hosts.

"Can you guys get out now?" she requested bluntly. The host club collectively jumped back in shock.

"Are you still angry at us? You and Haruhi aren't thinking of quitting the host club, are you?" Tamaki asked with a panicked expression on his face.

Chuckling, Haruhi turned around. "Don't be stupid, senpai. We've just got to finish our physical exams." She smiled and tilted her head upwards. "As male students, of course." The rest of the hosts were smiling as well, although Tamaki looked a bit distressed. "But don't think I'm doing this just because you're bribing me with food," she continued. "I'm doing it to pay back my debt!"

Tamaki blushed and leapt at Haruhi with outstretched arms, narrowly missing taking Shun down with her. "You're so cute, Haruhi!" Tamaki gushed. "I can see right through you! I know you just want that fancy tuna!"

"Cut it out, senpai!" Haruhi protested as she attempted to wiggle free. "Hey, don't touch me there!"

Shun's eyes flashed red. "Taa-maa-kii," she growled, her fingers curling into a fist.

"Red card!" the twins chorused.

"Looks like Tamaki-senpai—"

"—is the real pervert!"

"That's enough!" Shun shouted as she punched Tamaki in the chin with alarming ferocity. "Get out of here already, morons!"


	5. Attack Of The Lady Manager!

**Thanks again to anyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed! Hopefully, this chapter will give you an inkling as to who Shun's love interest is.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Attack Of The Lady Manager!**

* * *

 _Somewhere in France, a young girl is preparing to meet her fiancé..._

* * *

Shun watched with disgust at the girls that had begun swooning over Tamaki as he effortlessly answered all of their questions, each reply becoming even more revoltingly cliché than the last.

"Oh, Tamaki. My dearest Tamaki, why are you so beautiful?"

"I'm hoping to catch your eye, even if for just one second."

"Then why is your voice so sweet and mellow?"

"To set your nerves at ease so that my true feelings may reach your heart."

"Why are your eyes filled with tears every time you look at me?"

Tamaki gently swooped his hair back, revealing two perfect droplets at the corners of his eyes. "Because the sight of your beautiful smile causes the fountain inside me to start overflowing!"

Gagging, Shun turned her sights away from Tamaki and eagerly searched for a distraction, her eyes landing on the twins instead.

"I think it's adorable that you're wearing matching kimonos!" one guest at their table commented.

"Our mother designed everything the hosts are wearing today," Hikaru informed them. "If you see something you like, we can take an order for you."

"Our grandmother even helped us put them on!" Kaoru piped in, before Hikaru took hold of his chin and brought his face closer.

"But you know the only one undressing you is me," Hikaru said gently, "Kaoru."

Blushing slightly, Kaoru turned his face away as tears began forming in his eyes. "Hikaru, you're embarrassing me in front of everybody!"

 _Really? Them too?_ Shun thought in annoyance as she walked over to Haruhi, who was also observing the scene with an equal amount of confusion.

"They're up to that nonsense," Haruhi muttered. Shun let her head fall as she sighed.

"You can say that again," Shun responded. Suddenly, four girls approached the pair, two of them complimenting Haruhi and the other two commenting on Shun's kimono.

"Shun, you look so handsome in your kimono!" one girl said.

Shun glanced at the girl and offered her an awkward smile. "Uh, thanks." The kimono Shun donned was black, with red and white koi elegantly swimming through the fabric amongst ivory-colored waves.

"Although, Shun," Shun turned to face the other girl, "the front of your kimono is drooping." She pointed at the exposed skin of Shun's collarbone, a red streak prominent on her face.

Glancing down, Shun gawked and hurriedly tried to fix it, a blush working its way onto her cheeks. After finally adjusting the folds of the kimono, Shun sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "S-Sorry about that." _That was close!_ The girls tittered quietly in response.

"Hello, Kyouya!" Shun switched her gaze to where Kyouya was sitting as two guests approached him cheerfully.

"Are you planning to release more pictures of the host club?"

Kyouya smiled politely at them. "Unfortunately, we don't have anything planned at present, ladies."

The twins' heads emerged from behind the silk screen Kyouya was sitting in front of.

"But doesn't the club make a lot of money—"

"—from the sale of promotional items?"

Pulling out some blurry photos, Kyouya turned to face them. "That's true, but the items are poor quality." He spread the photos out in his hand. "Those picture books were filled with nothing but amateur hidden-camera shots. However, if we want to create some higher quality money-making products," he said as he brought out a calculator and began pressing buttons, "I'm afraid we'd have to draw money from the school's budget."

"Wow, Kyouya," Shun said in amazement as she strolled over to him. "It seems like you're the only one keeping this club afloat."

He glanced up at her with an expression of humble gratitude. "Why, thank you."

Shun was about to continue on her way back to where her guests were waiting when she felt someone tug on her sleeve. Looking down, she saw Honey, who had tears (again with the tears!) welling up in his eyes.

"Shu-chan, Haru-chan," he wailed. "I don't know how, but I lost one of my sandals!" He lifted one of his fists to childishly wipe at his eyes, while the other hand clutched one lone brown sandal.

Haruhi made her way over to him. "But you were just wearing them, weren't you?"

Attempting to comfort him, Shun pat Honey's head. "It's okay, Honey-senpai, we'll find them."

Mori suddenly appeared in front of the trio. "Mitsukuni," he said as he knelt down and gently lifted Honey's leg, slipping the missing shoe on his foot. "I noticed that you dropped it."

Honey gazed at his cousin through teary eyes. "Takashi!" he cried as he jumped into Mori's arms, the onlooking guests sighing in adoration.

"Looks like tears are really popular with the ladies today," Haruhi noted with a slightly annoyed expression.

Holding her chin in her hand, Shun glanced down in thought as she walked next to Haruhi. "I don't get how they're able to cry so easily, though. It's seriously freaky." Consumed by her thoughts and thus not paying attention to where she was walking, Shun found herself colliding into Kaoru's back, pushing him forward slightly. Regaining her balance, Shun rubbed at her sore nose. "Woah, sorry about that," she apologized in a nasally voice. She noticed that Kaoru had dropped something, but after seeing what it was, she bent down and picked it up, staring straight at the twins with a blank expression.

"What's this?" she asked with an exasperated voice.

Reading the label, Haruhi turned to the twins with a matching face. "You have got to be kidding me. Eyedrops?"

"For your information, it's common for a host to use eyedrops," Kaoru said matter-of-factly.

"No woman can resist a man on the brink of tears!" Hikaru added.

"That's pretty dumb," Shun said, slight annoyance lacing her tone. Her eyebrow twitched when Hikaru draped an arm around her shoulders and poked her cheek playfully.

"Don't be such a party-pooper, Shun," he chastised lightly, grinning at her. Shun huffed and shoved Hikaru's arm off her back before looking over at Haruhi, who was holding a beautifully decorated candy in the palm of her hand.

"Here's one for you too, Shun." Kaoru gently placed an identical sweet in her open palm before tucking his arms beneath his sleeves. The twins quietly observed Shun as she gently unwrapped the sweet and nibbled on it, her face lighting up in giddiness.

"Woah, this tastes awesome!" Quickly devouring the candy, she gingerly wiped at the crumbs around her lips before turning to Kaoru with a rare smile. "Thanks!"

"Aren't you the cutest?" the twins said simultaneously as they both pat Shun on the head. As Shun beamed up at them, Hikaru felt his face warm a bit. It wasn't often that he got to see Shun smile, but when she did, it was certainly a nice sight. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when Shun turned away at the arrival of two other girls.

"I didn't know you liked sweets, Haruhi!" one girl chirped.

"To be honest, I don't," Haruhi admitted, before her expression softened as she brought the wrapped candy closer to her face. "But you know, I think it will be a nice memorial offering for my mother."

Tamaki flamboyantly twirled over to Haruhi. "How admirable of you!" he exclaimed. "Such devotion to your mother's memory! Please, Haruhi, take as many of these as you like!" he said as he began piling sweets onto her hand, the hosts applauding behind him.

"Let me guess," Haruhi said as she stared at Tamaki with a blank face, "the tears are fake."

At that, Tamaki gasped incredulously and twirled away. "How could you! My tears are always genuine, Haruhi. Being able to cry without the use of eyedrops is the mark of a true host."

Shun quickly walked away as Tamaki began sparkling. "The people here are all kinds of wacky," she muttered to herself. Suddenly, the sound of shuffling shoes caught her ear, and she turned her head towards the direction of the noise, only to spot a dainty girl peeking out from behind the club room's door. The other hosts had noticed the girl, too. Inquisitively, Shun approached her.

"Uh, it's kinda boring to just sit out here and watch," Shun said. "Why don't you come in?" she offered, opening her arms slightly in a welcoming gesture.

The twins suddenly appeared beside Shun. "Come on in," Kaoru beckoned, pulling out a rose and holding it up to the girl, "what are you waiting for?"

"Watching from afar is no fun," Hikaru added, copying Kaoru's actions.

"Please, miss," they said, leaning towards the girl.

Noting the girl's obvious discomfort, Tamaki intervened. "Stop that," he ordered. "How many times do I have to tell you boys to be more courteous to our first time guests?" Tamaki turned to the girl and gently placed a finger under her chin. "Please, you don't have to be afraid, my princess. I welcome you to the Ouran Host Club."

In response, the girl violently shoved Tamaki away. "No! Don't touch me, you're phony!" she shrieked.

"What the—!" Shun jumped back, clearly startled by her actions. Tamaki fell backwards dramatically, clutching his face with his left hand.

"What do you mean I'm phony?" he gasped incredulously, comical tears springing up in his eyes.

Pointing at Tamaki, the girl continued her tirade. "Just what I said, you're phony! I find it hard to believe that someone like you is the prince character of this host club! You shouldn't go spreading your love around like that, you idiot!" Tamaki fell forward. "You must be a dimwitted narcissist!" Tamaki fell backward. "You're incompetent! A commoner! You're disgusting!" With each insult, it seemed as if Tamaki had been struck with an arrow through the chest, finally falling down in slow-motion.

"Hey! You don't have to be so rude!" Shun stood up defiantly, but soon quivered beneath the girl's fiery gaze.

Kyouya watched the scene quietly before eventually speaking up, although not for long. "I don't suppose you're—"

Finally noticing him, the girl rushed forward (stepping on Tamaki's body in the process). "It's you, Kyouya!" she exclaimed as she hugged him around the waist. "Oh, how I've longed to meet you, my one and only prince charming!"

* * *

 **Later...**

* * *

"What the hell, you're his fiancé?" Shun gasped in shock.

"Of course," she answered simply, as if it were a common fact. "My name is Renge Houshakuji, and I'm transferring into Ouran Academy's first year Class A tomorrow."

Everyone was gathered at the corner, staring at Tamaki as he brooded.

"Why is he sulking?" Hikaru asked.

"Because mommy was keeping a secret from daddy," Kaoru answered. Shun snorted at that.

"Whatever. Why does everyone insist on referring to us like we're husband and wife?" Kyouya sounded irritated, which only made Shun chuckle more.

Suddenly, everyone's attention was taken by Renge, who had started going on another fantasy-like tangent.

"Ours is a story of love at first sight!" Renge sighed, holding her blushing cheeks in her hands. "I couldn't resist the way you were adoring those flowers in the backyard when you thought no one else was looking! And how sweet it was when you reached out to that poor injured kitten!"

"Is she serious?" The twins looked skeptical.

Shun guffawed out loud, covering her mouth with her hand. "There's no way you're talking about Kyouya!"

Haruhi seemed to be the only one reacting normally. "Could you maybe have the wrong person?" she asked politely, only to be rudely interrupted.

"No way, I could recognize my love anywhere!" Renge insisted. "He's a gentleman who's kind to everyone, but doesn't ask for anything in return! He likes solitude, but in fact sometimes he gets lonely!" As she continued through her spiel, the twins were wracking their brains on who she could possibly be talking about, Shun was in stitches on the floor, and Kyouya stood passively.

"He looks like the star of the popular dating sim—Uki Doki Memorial!" Renge pointed directly at Kyouya. "You're my real-life Ichijo Miyabi!" she finished confidently.

"Uki?"

"Doki?"

"Otaku!" Tamaki shrieked.

"Otaku?!" Hikaru yelled in suit.

"I've never seen one!" Kaoru exclaimed.

Shun was gasping for air, unable to breath in between her laughs. "She's an otaku, too!" Shun could barely stand up, she was laughing too hard. Hikaru came to her assistance and helped her up as she continued to chortle.

Kyouya sat down on one of the couches and held his chin thoughtfully. "I get it now. You're in love with that character. You're projecting that love on to me, and you've somehow deluded yourself into thinking that we're engaged. I assume this Miyabi character probably wears glasses as well."

Quickly, Renge seated herself right next to Kyouya, gazing up at him with shining eyes. "According to my research, I understand that you're in charge of managing the club. Is that true, Kyouya?"

"That's right, Kyo-chan is our director!" Honey piped in.

This caused Renge to gush over Kyouya even more. "You're the club's director? That's perfect! Oh, wow, I've always wanted to wear a sandwich board to advertise a business!"

"We don't advertise, we're just a host club," the twins said tiredly.

Ignoring them, Renge twirled, a determined look on her face. "I've made up my mind! From now on, I'm gonna be the manager of this host club."

At this statement, Shun's chuckles halted immediately. "Wait, what?"

Renge smiled brightly at the hosts. "Well boys, I can't wait to work with you!"


	6. The Manager Is A Relentless Force!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Manager Is A Relentless Force!**

* * *

Shun groaned tiredly. "Do we really need to have a meeting about this? I need to get home so I can practice my swings," she complained, leaning her head on the back of the lounge chair she was slouched on. The other hosts were seated around her, listening (or ignoring) Tamaki as he began rambling about his daydreams.

Haruhi only sighed in defeat. "There's no point in complaining, it was bound to happen anyway."

"I've thought about it a lot last night, and maybe having a lady manager isn't such a bad idea," Tamaki stated.

The twins peered at him curiously. "Why do you say that?"

Holding his chin in his hand, Tamaki continued. "Well, it's fairly obvious, isn't it? Renge just transferred into the same class as Haruhi. So, if Haruhi has a girl friend around, it could bring out the female within her." Shun could tell he was beginning to fantasize again. "Renge's girlish air of tenderness might be able to stimulate Haruhi's own sense of femininity!"

"That's pretty wishful thinking there," Shun mumbled under her breath; unfortunately, Haruhi caught the comment and pinched Shun's hand, causing her to yelp. Forgetting whatever Tamaki was talking about (most likely his desire for Haruhi to act feminine), Shun blew cold air onto the sore spot and rubbed it pitifully. She was about to yell at Haruhi about abusing the love of her beloved cousin when the door opened, Renge's head popping out from behind it.

"Hey, everyone! You'll be happy to know that your new manager, Renge, has baked all of you some cookies!" At this, Shun perked up immediately, her mouth watering at the thought of sweets. Hurrying over to Haruhi, Shun buzzed around the bag in her hands, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Can I have one, Haruhi?" she asked eagerly. Haruhi—who already had a cookie in her mouth—dropped one into Shun's open hand, and she instantly gobbled it down with delight.

"They're not that bad at all, they've got a good flavor to them," Haruhi commented as she chewed, paying no heed to the twins' devious smirks.

Holding Haruhi's chin gently, Hikaru pulled her close. "May I try?" He asked, biting down on the other side of the cookie and breaking it off gently.

"Uh-oh, Haruhi, you've got crumbs on your face," Kaoru approached her, softly licking her cheek.

Shun made a disgusted face. Reaching her hand back into the bag, she was about to gleefully indulge in more treats, but it was abruptly snatched from her grasp. She whipped around angrily, only to be met with the mischievous leer on Kaoru's face. "Give it back!" she ordered.

Waving his index finger back and forth, Kaoru tutted at her. "Your hands are much too dirty." Grabbing Shun's hand, he lightly licked the center of her palm, causing her to reflexively rip her hand back.

"What the hell?!" she cried angrily, furiously rubbing at her palm. "You can't just do that out of nowher—" Before she could finish, Hikaru caught her from behind, angling her neck with his hand.

"You have cookie crumbs here, too." Despite her incessant squirming, Hikaru held her firmly, his lips approaching the delicate spot just beneath her chin, until—

" _You pervert! Step away from Shun!_ " Tamaki shrieked, his foot stretched out and aimed at Hikaru's head. Hikaru stepped back, Shun in tow, causing Tamaki's foot to barely miss the tip of her nose. Instantly recovering from his fall, Tamaki sprang up, seizing the girl by the shoulders and attempting to pry her from Hikaru's grasp.

"Let go of her, you deviant!" Tamaki pulled hard, yanking a disgruntled Shun to the left.

Hikaru tugged with equal force, now bringing Shun to the right. "Who are you calling a deviant? Besides, we were just having a little fun."

The tug-of-war between the two continued until finally, Shun snapped. " ** _Enough!_** " Bringing both of her arms back, she forcefully elbowed the two boys in the ribs, causing them to shrivel back in pain. Exhaling through her nose, she stalked over to Haruhi and the other hosts.

"Sorry about them," Haruhi apologized sheepishly, sighing to herself.

"Whatever," Shun said indifferently, resting her hand on her hip.

Observing the scene before her, Renge muttered to herself. "Lukewarm..."

Shun turned to Renge with a blank face. "What was that?"

Suddenly, Renge pointed directly at all of the hosts. "Every single one of you! Except for Kyouya, all of your characters are lukewarm! Each of you needs to have some dark side, you understand? Girls are vulnerable to handsome young men who are troubled! If you keep carrying on like this, it's only a matter of time before the girls get tired of you and stop coming altogether! Are you trying to ruin my precious Kyouya's business?"

All the hosts had stunned expressions, save for Mori, who was stoic as usual, and Shun, who had stopped caring.

"As your manager, it is my duty to change your character backgrounds!" She jabbed a finger at Honey, who flinched in response. "Honey-senpai, you're the baby-faced thug! And Mori-senpai, you're his childhood friend, the flunky!"

She directed her tirade to the twins. "The twins will be basketball players enslaved in their own world!"

She switched to Shun. "Shun, you're a troubled baseball star who has lost the passion to play after a sports injury from your past!"

Now, she moved on to Haruhi. "Haruhi, you're an honor student who's constantly being bullied!"

Finally, she peered at Tamaki with a strong gaze. "And as for you, Tamaki, you're the school idol who's admired for your good looks, but you actually have an inferiority complex you're hiding from the world—the lonely prince!"

Swiftly twirling around to Kyouya, Renge clasped her hands together and beamed at him. "And Kyouya, you're perfect just the way you are now, so I want you to stay as kind and affectionate as ever, 'kay?"

As Renge prattled on to Kyouya, Haruhi approached Shun, who looked bored. "I thought you would be reacting more to this. You're being strangely apathetic."

Shun shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "It's not like it matters anyway. I'm gonna miss most of the club meeting tomorrow because of baseball practice."

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

Breathing quickly, Shun raced to the courtyard where the club meeting was supposed to take place. _Crap, I'm way later than I thought I would be! I hope Renge doesn't kill me_ , _s_ he thought as she skidded to a halt. Noticing Haruhi drying her hair off, Shun jogged over to her, patting her shoulder to greet her.

Haruhi smiled at her arrival. "Oh, hey, you're here!"

Catching her breath for a few moments, Shun cleared her throat. "Yeah, what'd I miss?"

"I just finished one of my scenes, so I'm cleaning myself up right now," Haruhi answered.

Shun looked around, observing the scene before her. There was a big-shot Hollywood director chatting with Renge about the scenes they had shot, while expensive lights and camera equipment surrounded them. _Where'd Renge even get the money for all this stuff?_ Shun was pulled from her thoughts when Renge called for Haruhi.

"Hey, Haruhi, you're on!" she said.

"Coming!" Haruhi answered, jogging over to Renge while Shun followed behind. Renge waved at the two of them, and they both approached her. Behind her, two monstrous-looking boys stood tall.

Renge gestured to the pair. "These two gentlemen have just agreed to make a special appearance in our film!" she announced cheerfully. Hearing this, the two boys turned to Renge with confused expressions. Ignoring them, she continued on. "After all, we're gonna need some tough guys for the big climax! That's when all of the club members come together to fight against the real villains at their school!"

"This isn't gonna end well," Shun mumbled to herself after noticing the annoyed looks on the boys' faces.

"According to the script, these two are from a wealthy family that got their wealth by being a part of the Japanese mafia! Don't you think that's a brilliant casting choice?" Renge asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Wait a minute, Renge—" Haruhi said apprehensively, only for it to fall on deaf ears. Renge dragged one of the boys by the arm, instructing him to wait for his cue.

"Hey, you think you can push me around? You don't even know me!" The boy abruptly pulled his arm from Renge's grasp, then roughly shoved her into a nearby pile of equipment.

Haruhi rushed over immediately. "Hey, watch out!" she said as she ducked behind Renge, breaking her fall.

Shun growled angrily, curling her hand into a tight fist. "So you think you can just push people around, huh?" Grabbing the boy by the shirt collar, Shun gruffly pushed him into the wall, digging her forearm under his chin. "What's your answer, punk?!"

"Hey, who do you think you are?!" The other boy suddenly appeared behind Shun, grabbing her by the lapels of her shirt and lifting her off of the ground.

Noticing the commotion, Tamaki rounded the corner.

"What happened, Haruhi?" Tamaki rushed forward worriedly, only to see Haruhi on the ground and Shun hoisted up into the air. He quickly shoved the boy who was holding Shun into the wall with an alarming amount of power. Shun—released from the boy's grasp—fell backwards suddenly, but she managed to catch herself.

The twins, who were also curious about the noise, approached the scene. After seeing Shun on the ground, they both hurried towards her, Hikaru reaching her first and gripping her arm.

"Shun, what happened? Are you okay?" Hikaru asked, worry evident on his face. Kaoru rested his hand on Shun's shoulder as she rubbed at her sore neck, looking at her with an equal amount of concern in his eyes.

Moving into a sitting position, Shun reassured them. "I'm fine. The people you should be worried about are those two over there." She gestured over to Tamaki, who still had not loosened his hold on the terrified boy.

"Wait, Suoh, it's not what you think! That girl started it! She was giving us a hard time!" The boy's friend sputtered quickly. After hearing this, Tamaki let the first one go, and the pair sped off in the other direction.

Hikaru offered Shun his hand, pulling her up from the ground. Ambling over to the rest of the group, Shun noticed Renge gaping at Tamaki and Haruhi. She gripped the script in her hand tightly, crumpling it in the process.

"Please tell me you got that, camera man!" she said, to which the man in question provided a thumbs-up. "That was an ideal final scene! All it needs now is a moving narration by my sweet Kyouya!"

 **CRASH!**

All of the hosts turned in the direction of the sound. Kyouya stood by the camera, a rock in his hand and shattered glass littering the ground around his feet.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I cannot allow there to be any record of a club member engaging in violence. I think you've caused enough trouble around here, Renge. Please stop being such a pest," Kyouya said, his normally calm expression replaced with an irritated one.

 _Man, that's pretty harsh_ , Shun thought to herself, watching passively as Renge began to cry.

"But you're supposed to pat me on the head and tell me not to worry! You're supposed to be kind and affectionate, Kyouya!" Renge sniffled, her tears dotting the ground. "Why are you acting so differently now? Tell me why!"

"Because that's not the real Kyouya," Tamaki said calmly. At this, Renge sunk to the ground. Shun and Haruhi exchanged a look, then nodded to each other, both walking forward to Renge's slumped form.

Kneeling down, Shun gently placed her hand on Renge's shoulder, who jumped slightly at the action. "Don't cry, Renge."

Haruhi crouched down in front of her. "Who cares if Kyouya is a little different than you expected him to be? Take a good look at the person inside and get to know them little by little." Haruhi smiled softly. "It's a lot more fun that way."

"So don't be sad, Renge," Shun continued, patting Renge's back lightly. "It's not over yet."

A light breeze swept by, ruffling the cherry blossoms and blowing away the metaphorical clouds hovering over the host club. _I guess_ , Shun thought, _it didn't end too badly after all._

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

"I bought the video of that film you made!"

"I bough it, too!"

"And so did I!"

 _What?_ Shun diverted her attention from the slice of chocolate mousse cake on the plate she held to stare at the girls in surprise. The other hosts had incredulous looks as well.

"That scene in the rain was just phenomenal!"

"I love the lonely prince!"

"And the loving relationship between Hikaru and Kaoru was so sweet!" The girls' voices faded into an amalgamation of squeals and excited gibberish.

Tamaki raised his hand slightly. "Kyouya..."

"I may have broken the camera's lens, but the footage we had already shot wasn't damaged. But, naturally, I did cut out that one violent scene." Clicking his pen, Kyouya turned to the group. "Sales have been pretty good so far. That Hollywood film crew did a fantastic job, but then, I guess that's to be expected."

Shun shivered at Kyouya's eerily chipper expression, nervously chewing her cake. After finishing, she set the plate down and walked over to Haruhi, who smiled lightly at her.

"That was a real happening yesterday, wasn't it?" Haruhi chuckled. Shun scratched the back of her neck and laughed in response.

"Yeah. Is it always gonna be like this?" Shun wondered aloud, absently rubbing her chin.

Turning to watch the other hosts' antics, Haruhi smiled. "Probably. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."


	7. The Twins Fight!

**Thank you so much (again) to anyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed! It really makes me happy and encourages me to try and make this story as great as I can!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Twins Fight!**

* * *

 ** _Hey, Kaoru, do you think..._**

 ** _What?_**

 ** _Will anyone ever be able to tell us apart?_**

* * *

"Let's all play the 'Which One Is Hikaru?' game!"

The guests giggled and clapped at the twins as they walked circles around each other until they finally stopped, holding their hands out together.

"So? Can you tell which one of us is Hikaru?" they asked simultaneously, mirroring each other's actions. "Many ladies have tried to tell us apart, but so far, none have succeeded."

"That's the dumbest game I've ever heard of." Haruhi and Shun happened to be walking past, Shun carrying an overstuffed grocery bag after her return from the convenient store, and it seemed that Haruhi couldn't help but comment. Hearing Haruhi's blunt statement, Shun rolled her eyes. _Haruhi, you don't need to put your two cents in everything._

"What? Have you got a problem with it, Haruhi?" The twins turned to face Haruhi, both resting a hand on their hip.

Haruhi stopped walking and turned around. "Not really. I just don't understand why the two of you are so popular."

Shun chuckled slightly at Haruhi's unintentionally mean remark. "Pretty harsh, Haruhi."

Suddenly, thundering footsteps raced towards them, the noise causing Shun to turn around. Noticing it was Tamaki, she held up the plastic bag in her hand. "Hey, senpai, I got the groceries like you asked—" she began, but was interrupted when Tamaki yanked out a laptop and slammed it down on the coffee table.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" he yelled. "When I gave you control over the club's website, I did so on one condition: that you'd take it seriously!"

The two mentioned both stared at Tamaki, barely reacting at all. "We take our job very seriously, boss," Hikaru said.

"In fact, last night we worked on it 'til dawn," Kaoru added matter-of-factly.

Tamaki swung the laptop around, smacking the keyboard furiously. "Is _this_ what you worked so hard to create?!" On the laptop's screen, there were two pictures. One was a shirtless Haruhi, who was smiling at the camera. The other was Shun, who shirt was also absent, propping a baseball bat on her shoulder as she gazed off into the distance.

Both Haruhi and Shun looked unpleasantly shocked. The bag of groceries slipped out of Shun's grasp as her shoulders drooped. "What the hell..." Then, as if her energy had suddenly returned to her, Shun marched up to Hikaru, grabbing him by the collar. "You idiots! Don't make weird pictures of us!"

Hikaru raised his hands up in surrender mockingly. "We can't help it."

Kaoru, who had grabbed Haruhi by the shoulders, piped in. "Yeah, you're our toys."

Haruhi swiped at Kaoru's hands. "We are not your toys, okay?!"

Gritting her teeth in irritation, Shun bent over to pick up the dropped bag of groceries. "Man, those twins are a real pain..." As she straightened up, she noticed a cloaked figured smiling eerily at her through a crack in the door. Just from looking at him, Shun felt a shudder pass through her body. _Ugh, creepy._ Turning away, she noticed Hikaru and Kaoru sitting in opposite chairs, each holding his chin in his hand.

"Ugh, I am so bored," Hikaru complained.

"Isn't there anything fun we can do around here?" Kaoru sighed.

Shun growled and marched over to Haruhi, who was observing Tamaki hunched over in the corner. She was about to strike up a conversation with Haruhi until she was stopped by the twins, which only annoyed her more.

"Hey, Haruhi," they called, "we've got a favor to ask you."

"What is it?" Haruhi asked tiredly.

Hikaru started. "The next time we get a day off—"

"—can we come over to your place to hang out?" Kaoru finished.

Before Haruhi could even open her mouth, Shun stomped her foot down. "Absolutely not!"

"Aw, pretty please?" the twins asked.

"No way," Haruhi answered immediately, which Shun affirmed with a quick nod.

"No matter how much we beg you?"

"How many times do we have to say no?" Shun said sharply.

Much to her displeasure, Tamaki decided to join in, holding his hand to his chest as petals flew by him. "I, too, have been thinking that it's about time I pay my respects to our beloved Haruhi's family—!"

"No way in hell, senpai." Haruhi shot down his offer quickly, causing him to reflexively huddle in the corner in self-pity.

Seizing the opportunity, the twins placed caps on their heads and approached Haruhi and Shun. "We can settle this with a game!" they suggested cheerfully. "If you can't pick out which one of us is Hikaru, then your penalty will be the two of us coming over to your house later tonight!"

"Don't even bother," Shun said. The twins halted, staring at her in surprise. "This one's Kaoru," she said as she pointed at Kaoru, "and this one's Hikaru." She then directed her finger to Hikaru.

The twins held out their arms. "Uh-oh, you got it wrong!"

Shun dropped her hand, staring at them firmly. "I'm right. It doesn't matter if you look the same, you're still different."

At this, the twins blinked at her in shock, then glanced at each other, both thinking the same thing. Soon, girls began to approach Shun, all with eyes gleaming in awe.

"How did you do that, Shun?"

"Whenever they wear those hats to cover which way they part their hair, it's practically impossible to try and figure out which twin is Hikaru and which one is Kaoru!"

"How can you tell them apart?"

Shun shrugged her shoulders humbly. "It's not that hard, really. Besides their obviously different personalities, each one has little habits that they do. Like, Kaoru taps his fingers on things when he's bored, and Hikaru's always licking his lips because they're chapped all of the time." Her face lit up with remembrance, and she dug through the plastic bag in her arms. "Speaking of," she said as she pulled a small box of chapstick from the bag, "I forgot to give this to you." She reached her open hand out towards Hikaru, who took the box from her quietly.

Kaoru hid his mouth behind his hand as he began chuckling. "Sorry, Hikaru, I don't mean to laugh," he attempted to apologize, only breaking out into more laughter.

Hikaru lifted his chin up indignantly. "Well, I don't see what's so funny. At least I don't annoy everyone in the room with that incessant tapping of yours."

At Hikaru's snide remark, Kaoru immediately stopped laughing. "Don't turn this on me, Hikaru. After all, I'm the one who's always going along with all of your selfish games."

"I may suggest them, but you're the one who really gets into them, Kaoru," Hikaru retorted, his eyes cold. "If you hate it so much, then why don't you just stop?"

Kaoru didn't miss a beat with his reply. "Because I'd hate to see you make an ass of yourself in front of everyone. It was your idea to call Shun and Haruhi our toys, but I noticed you were quick to make a pass at Shun." The room became eerily silent. "Admit it, Hikaru. You're actually in love with Shun, aren't you?"

Hikaru gasped, a blush painted on his cheeks as he panicked and turned to Shun, who was wearing a dumbfounded expression. Quickly, Hikaru attempted to make a comeback. "You've got it all wrong, Kaoru! Man, you're such an idiot! Why would I fall for her, I mean, she looks like a wild dog!"

Normally, Shun would have yelled at Hikaru for insulting her, but she wasn't listening anymore. She was too flabbergasted to notice. Fortunately, she was snapped out of her state as rumbling reverberated around the room, a spinning pedestal appearing from the floor. Renge was perched on top, clasping her hands together and holding them to her chest.

"Our beloved Shun is in the middle of a beautiful—yet poignant—three-sided romantic relationship! And to make it even more exciting, both of Shun's admirers are twins torn apart by love!" Renge threw her arm out gracefully, her eyes sparkling. "Just the thought of it could make me eat three bowls of rice!"

"Butt out, otaku," the twins retorted rudely.

"You guys are meanies, you shouldn't say something like that to your manager!" Renge cried.

Haruhi approached Renge with a perplexed face. "I'm confused, I thought that you had decided to go back home to France, Renge."

Renge turned to Haruhi with a bright smile. "Well, I was going to start up a host club of my own, but I don't think France is ready for a host club yet."

Their brief conversation was soon stopped, and everyone turned to watch as the twins began shouting at each other.

"Cut it out already! You're the one who's always crawling into my bed, talk about annoying!" Hikaru yelled.

Kaoru shouted back. "I only do that 'cause you look lonely! I wouldn't choose to sleep in your bed, you idiot!"

"Who are you calling an idiot? You're the one who sucks at math!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, you're failing your foreign language class, you big dummy!"

"The way you grind your teeth is deafening!"

"At least I don't toss and turn so much that I fall out of bed!"

"Sex pixie!"

"Sicko!"

"YOUR MAMA WEARS TOO MUCH MAKEUP! THAT'S IT, **WE'RE OVER!** "

* * *

 **The next morning...**

* * *

The morning bell rung cheerfully, signaling the start of class. Shun took her seat in front of Haruhi, covering her mouth as she yawned widely.

"Hey, Shun," a familiar voice called. Shun glanced tiredly in the direction of the sound, and she burst out laughing at the sight before her. Hikaru's hair was now dyed a brilliant flamingo pink. Shun had never seen something so ridiculous in her entire life.

"Hikaru, what in the world happened to your hair? Why is it dyed pink?" Haruhi asked.

Hikaru smiled and placed his hand on his hip. "'Cause pink suits me. Don't you think it's cute?"

"It's the cutest, Hikaru!" Shun managed to say in between giggles.

"From now on, I'm the pink-haired twin," Hikaru informed the both of them proudly. "I didn't want to be mistaken for that Kaoru for the rest of my life, y'know?"

As Shun was attempting to contain her laughs, Kaoru walked into the room, his hair sporting a bright blue color. Once Shun laid eyes on him, her efforts to stop laughing were fruitless, and she erupted into hysterics.

"Good morning, Haruhi," Kaoru greeted. Hikaru's smile morphed into a miffed expression as Kaoru came over and stood next to him.

Haruhi looked back and forth between the two. "So, Kaoru's the blue twin?"

"I guess so," Shun surmised, still wheezing as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I was finally able to sleep all by myself last night," Kaoru announced, "but I ended up having a nightmare. I dreamt that my stylist had dyed my hair pink!"

Shun could see Hikaru's eyebrow twitch at Kaoru's comment, and she immediately stopped chuckling, dread replacing the space in her lungs.

Despite Hikaru's obvious annoyance, Kaoru continued. "It was so garish and ridiculous-looking that I woke up screaming!" He laughed and moved to sit down, only to fall onto the ground, his chair having been kicked out from under him by Hikaru. In response, Kaoru grabbed the leg of Hikaru's chair and tilted it, causing Hikaru to hit his head into the wall. It wasn't long before they both armed themselves with chairs and tables, immediately beginning to throw random objects at each other.

Sighing in exasperation, Shun leaned her head on her hand. _Here we go._

* * *

 **The beginning of lunch...**

* * *

Shun trudged into the cafeteria, her lunch clutched in one hand, while the other was shoved into her left pocket. Slumping into the seat next to Haruhi, Shun let her head fall onto the table with a groan.

Haruhi placed her hand on Shun's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Lifting herself off of the cool surface, Shun rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, I'm just really tired. I had to clean up everything that the twins threw at each other. Their fighting is driving me nuts." Shun tightened her hands into fists. "I swear, when I see them again, I'm going to punch the both of them."

Unfortunately for Shun, the two people she was referring to just happened to be in the lunchroom as well.

"I'll have the A lunch." The familiar voices caused a vein to bulge on Shun's forehead.

"No, give me the B pasta and the D salad!" The twins, even during a fight, were still perfectly in sync. "I'll take the F capellini with the barbarie duck—hold on, make that a foie gras poêlé in périgueux sauce!" Finally, the twins snapped, growling at each other. "Stop copying me! Why don't you just leave me alone?"

Adding to the terrible headache throbbing in Shun's head, the other hosts entered the lunch room.

"I was wondering what all the fuss was about," Tamaki said as he made his way over to Haruhi, followed by the rest of the host club. "I can't believe the two of you are still fighting. You're a disgrace to the host club."

As the sound of a screeching chair rattled her brain, Shun grabbed at her temple in frustration, her throat emitting a low groan as her headache worsened.

Hikaru's hand was on top of the chair. "Shun, you mind if I sit here with you?" he asked. When she didn't respond, he took it as an open invitation and plopped down next to her. "So, what's that?" He gestured to her lunchbox. "What'd you bring for lunch?"

"Just some leftovers from yesterday, why?" Shun asked, her irritation beginning to simmer.

"You wanna switch with me? I had to order something different from Kaoru, so I ended up with stuff I don't really like. Besides, you look like you would enjoy something good to eat." Without waiting for an answer, Hikaru took Shun's lunch, pushing his tray in front of her.

 _There was nothing wrong with that packed lunch_ , she thought bitterly to herself, but decided against saying it out loud. The last thing she wanted to do was ignite another fight. Taking a gander at the food in front of her, she almost had to squint due to how beautiful it looked. Shun scooped up a hefty spoonful and popped it into her mouth.

Hikaru watched with an amused expression as Shun's eyes widened in amazement. She quickly took another spoonful, then another, then another, until every plate on the tray was scraped clean. Shun could feel her anger smolder and die out, her headache fading away.

"So, Shun, is that any good?" Shun turned to Kaoru wordlessly as he plopped down in front of her, her spoon still in her mouth and her eyes continuing to sparkle. "How would you like to taste mine?" he offered. Gently holding her chin, he angled the spoon to her mouth.

Hikaru swooped in before it could reach her lips. "Quit butting in," he mumbled around the spoon in his mouth. "Get lost, Kaoru."

Lifting his plate slightly, Kaoru tossed a bowl of chowder in Hikaru's direction, only for it to smack into Tamaki—whom Hikaru had yanked in front of himself at the last second. Soon, they began hurling any object they could reach at each other, thus causing Shun's headache to return. Standing up slowly so as to avoid the crossfire, she grabbed her lunchbox, gestured for Haruhi to follow her, and headed towards the direction of the club room. "Come on, Haruhi. Let's go to the club room instead."

Shun laid down on the embroidered couch while Haruhi sat on the chair across from her, her small lunchbox balanced on her lap as she ate.

"The twins' fighting is getting out of hand," Haruhi said between chews.

Shun nodded in agreement and massaged her forehead again. "They better make up soon," she groaned. "I'm not sure I can handle them anymore."


	8. Shun Has Had Enough!

**Ah, sorry, this chapter is kind of short!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Shun Has Had Enough!**

* * *

Shun was annoyed. Actually, a more accurate word to describe her would be **_furious_**. First the twins start fighting, then they pester her for hours about it, then she gets a dreadful headache, and now, when her migraine is pounding at her skull the hardest, Tamaki calls an emergency meeting.

What she really wanted to do at that moment was uppercut the table, but that was obviously not the best idea. So, she merely sat with the rest of the hosts, grinding her teeth in silence and pretending to listen to Kyouya's voice as he pressed buttons on his calculator.

"Looking at the numbers, if this situation isn't resolved, I'm afraid we're going to have to stop offering our 'Brotherly Love' package," Kyouya sighed. "We're down one pair of loving brothers."

He then called to Shun, whose forehead throbbed at the mention of her name. "I just want you to know there's no reason for you to feel responsible, even though it _was_ your tactless comment that started this whole feud between the twins in the first place, right?" he said, smiling politely at her.

 _It's obvious he blames me for this_ , Shun thought in irritation. "Well, it's not my fault that the twins can't be responsible and just make up already," she quipped bitterly.

Honey toyed with the arms of his pink stuffed rabbit, his appearance uncharacteristically sad. "It's weird for Hika-chan and Kao-chan to be fighting like this. It's never happened before."

Haruhi turned to Honey with a slightly curious expression. "They've never fought before?"

Honey nodded. "I've known Hika-chan and Kao-chan since we were in preschool. We weren't in the same year, so I never really got to talk to them, but I remember that the two of them always played together."

Despite her annoyance earlier, Shun was listening intently to the conversation. The twins' fighting was driving her insane, but she was still worried about them. She would do anything to make them stop.

"Yeah, that's true," Tamaki agreed. "I mean, I've only known the twins since they were in middle school, but they definitely stood out. It seemed like they kept everyone at a distance except each other. Believe it or not, they were even more warped back then. When you stop and think about it, maybe this fight is a good thing for them." Tamaki straightened up, his face lighting up slightly. "Maybe it means that the twins are expanding their horizons a bit! We should just leave them alone and let them work it out!" he finished, nodding his head as if he were approving his own previous statement.

Shifting her position until she was sitting up in her chair, Shun leaned her chin on her hand, her eyes lifting to stare through the window at the trees outside as she thought to herself. _I'm not one to say if this fight's better for them, but... I hope they know how to make up. If they don't have any experience with fighting like this, I doubt they'll know when to stop. I don't want to imagine what will happen then. Maybe they'll stop arguing today?_

* * *

 **At the club room...**

* * *

Despite Shun's fervent wish for the twins to stop warring with each other, they continued relentlessly. Now, a paraphernalia of random furniture was being thrown back and forth between the two, much to the displeasure of everyone else. Soon, every miscellaneous object they had hurled began to pile up in the club room, forming an enormous mountain of furniture and decorative plants, with Honey somehow getting stuck on the top.

Tamaki twitched. "Don't you guys think that maybe it's time you give up all this fighting? It's driving me insane!" he complained as he rubbed his forehead.

Hikaru snarled. "What'd you say? It's driving you insane? You've gotta be kidding me, how do you think I feel right now?" Hikaru was now glaring daggers at Kaoru. "Every time I look in the mirror, I see his face! I'm sick and tired of constantly being mistaken for you, Kaoru! The truth is, **_I hate your guts!_** "

Shun growled in vexation. "Shut up..."

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" Kaoru spat, reaching into his blazer to pull out a cat-shaped wooden doll. "In fact, I hate you so much, I bought this," he said as he thrust the doll out, "Beelzenef the Curse Doll!"

As soon as the doll was uncovered, Tamaki shrieked in horror, ducking behind Haruhi and holding her tightly as he shook with fear.

"Shut up..." Shun's irritation was steadily increasing.

Kaoru yanked out a thick black marker and held it up threateningly. "I'm going to complete the curse, Hikaru. I'm going to write your name on his back!" Hikaru made a sound of frustration as Kaoru popped the cap off of the marker and began writing on the doll's wooden surface. "From this day forward, you're going to experience nothing but misfortune and sorrow!"

" ** _Both of you, just shut up already!_** "

 **THUD!**

The twins both gaped up at Shun in shock, their heads sporting identical red welts from where she had struck them.

She glowered down at them with ferocious rage flaring in her eyes, causing them both to flinch back. "I'm sick and tired of you two fighting like children!" she yelled. "All you have been doing is fighting, _fighting_ , **_fighting!_** Can't you realize how blatantly selfish you're being? You don't even bother to think twice about all of the trouble you're causing everyone else!" Shun stopped to catch her breath, her chest heaving up and down as she exhaled heavily.

Haruhi continued scolding the twins as Shun recollected herself. "Now apologize to each other! If you don't make up right now, I'm never gonna let you come to my house! Have I made myself clear?!"

The room fell silent, and the twins could only stare up at Haruhi and Shun with dumbfounded expressions. However, their mouths closed slowly, morphing into sly grins. Shun couldn't help the sinking feeling in her stomach as they stood up quietly.

"So then what you're saying, Haruhi, is that if we make up, we can come over to your place?" They spoke simultaneously, then threw their arms around each other.

Haruhi gulped, cautiously picking up the wooden doll that had fallen and turning it around in her hand, revealing the word 'BLANK' written in bold, black letters on its back.

"I'm so sorry, Kaoru! Even though I was just following our script, I said such awful things to you! I'm not fit to be your brother!" Hikaru whispered sorrowfully.

Kaoru continued dramatically in suit. "Don't say that, Hikaru! I was so worried, I couldn't live with myself if I ever thought I had hurt you!"

"Kaoru, I'll never let you go again!"

"Hikaru!"

Haruhi let the doll slip from her limp hand, her face still numb with shock. Next to her, Shun fell to the ground wordlessly, her eyes equally as wide as Haruhi's.

"You've gotta be kidding! You mean you guys were faking it the whole time?" Honey yelled, waving his arms around.

Their answer was simple. "We didn't have anything else to do. We were bored!"

Tamaki weakly lifted his head from where he had collapsed on the floor. "Twins with too much time on their hands... are the _devil_."

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

The guests clapped and giggled happily as Hikaru and Kaoru smiled at them, practically oozing charm from their pores.

"Okay, it's time to play the 'Which One Is Hikaru?' game!" they announced happily.

A girl raised her hand. "I know!" she said confidently. "The twin with the pink hair is Hikaru!"

The twins threw their arms out. "We have a winner!"

"So, are you two going to keep your wild hair color even though you've made up? It's much easier to tell the two of you apart now!" a different girl remarked.

Haruhi and Shun, who were both returning from the grocery store once again, stopped in their tracks. "No, it isn't," Haruhi said, as if it were a plain fact.

At her blunt claim, the twins turned to her. She paid no heed to their slightly confused expressions and continued on her way.

Shun couldn't help but comment as well. "Looks like the pink one is Kaoru, and the blue one is Hikaru. Switching colors for the day, huh?" She grinned slightly. "Pretty sneaky. Oh, and before I forget..." She dug around the plastic bag's contents, finally fishing out a small white box. Taking Hikaru's hand, she dropped the item into his open palm wordlessly. "In case you run out." Smirking at him slightly, Shun followed behind Haruhi, leaving the twins to stare after her silently.

Peering at the box in his hand, Hikaru couldn't stop the heat that rose to his cheeks. The box was plain, the only large label on it reading 'chapstick'. Kaoru's eyes glanced at Hikaru briefly before returning to look at Shun's back as she left.

* * *

 _Do you realize what's happened, Hikaru? Until now, there were only two groups of people: us and everyone else._

 _But for the first time, others have crossed into our world._

* * *

 ** _Hey, Hikaru, I'm wondering if you..._**

 ** _What?_**

 ** _Never mind._**


	9. The Grade School Host Is A Naughty Type!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Grade School Host Is A Naughty Type!**

* * *

"Hey, kid, are you lost?"

Shun stepped out from where the other hosts were gathered and rested her hand on her hip, bending down to peer at the elementary boy that had fallen down from shock. The boy—who had just entered the club room—didn't even look at Shun, opting to gawk at the host club instead.

Tamaki gazed at the confused child with a prince-like softness. "What's wrong, little boy? Did you come to my palace in search of something?" he asked.

The boy picked himself up off of the floor slowly. "A-Are you the king of this place?"

At the use of the word 'king', Tamaki smiled contentedly. "Come closer, lost one," he beckoned.

The boy cautiously walked towards Tamaki at his command. "What was it you just called me, little boy?" Tamaki asked again.

"The king," the boy answered, more firmly this time.

Tamaki twirled around happily, holding his hand to his chest. "The king! Yes, I am the king of the Ouran Host Club! Long live the host king!"

Shun raised her hand. "I call for an anarchy," she said with an irritated look, which caused the sparkles in Tamaki's eyes to fade.

The boy, who looked about as annoyed as Shun, decided to speak up. "I'm an elementary fifth year, Shirou Takaoji!" he said with sudden conviction. "I want the host club king to take me on as an apprentice!"

* * *

 **During open hours...**

* * *

"Oh, Tamaki, you have an apprentice?" one of Tamaki's guests inquired curiously.

"Yes. He's still in elementary school, but I like the fire in his eyes," Tamaki answered, his voice charmingly soft.

"But are you sure it's okay for such a young boy to become a host?" the girl asked, only to be silenced as Tamaki gently grasped her chin.

"Why wouldn't it be? Love has nothing to do with age," he said as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Take us, for instance. Whenever I look at you, my heart starts pounding. Suddenly, I feel no different than a lovesick little boy."

The girl blushed and turned her head away, and Tamaki smiled at her. This would have been a very romantic scene had Shirou not been scrutinizing ever detail closely.

Shun's nose scrunched in contemplation. "Isn't it kinda creepy to have Shirou watch everything?"

Kyouya, who was standing behind her, chuckled slightly. "There is a theory that people are considered more beautiful the closer they are viewed. Tamaki seems to live by that theory," he said as he began writing in his notebook. "Well, let's leave them alone."

Shun sighed. Turning away to return to her guests, Shun stopped when she heard the girl Tamaki was entertaining begin to wail.

"A carp?!" she cried.

Tamaki hurriedly tried to console her as tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, don't listen to him! He's just a kid, you know how kids are! They can't help but be honest."

"Honest?!"

Tamaki began to panic even more. "But that's just his opinion! I wouldn't say you look like a carp, and even if you did look like a carp, you'd be the most beautiful carp of them all!"

"So I _am_ a carp! Tamaki, you're an idiot!" the girl exclaimed as she ran away, leaving Tamaki reaching out for her pitifully.

"Man, what a crybaby," Shirou remarked bluntly.

Shun snickered, and the twins joined her. "What an adorable apprentice..." Shun said as she struggled to hold back her laughter.

Kaoru suddenly stopped laughing, his expression becoming downcast. "Hikaru, do you wish you had a little brother like Shirou?" he asked apprehensively.

Hikaru embraced Kaoru. "Don't be silly. I could search the globe and I'd never find a better brother than you, Kaoru."

"Hikaru..."

At the display of 'brotherly love', Shirou jumped back in shock. "T-They're homos! And they're brothers!"

"You know, I thought it was weird too, but I guess I'm just used to it now..." Shun rambled to no one in particular.

Then, Honey jumped on Shirou's back and hugged him around the shoulders. "Hey, Shirou-chan! You wanna have a piece of cake with me? We've got three kinds: chocolate, strawberry, and lime!"

Shirou roughly shoved Honey away. "Hey, back off! What grade are you in anyway? Why are you wearing a high school uniform?"

At this, a dark shadow loomed over the two. "Something wrong, Mitsukuni?" Mori towered over them, causing Shirou to gawk in disbelief as Honey leaped onto Mori's shoulders, tears dribbling down his face.

"That's not fair!" Shirou cried indignantly. "A little kid like you isn't supposed to have a cool, older friend like him!" he said as he backed away, accidentally bumping into Haruhi. The tea set she was holding jostled slightly, and she quickly tried to keep it balanced. When she succeeded, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Despite Shirou's obvious shock, Haruhi smiled at him. "Are you alright? I know, it's kinda hard getting used to all of the weirdos around here. It took me awhile to get adjusted to all the craziness, so don't freak out. I'm sure you'll get used to it," she reassured him kindly.

Shirou stared up at Haruhi with a disdainful gaze. "Are you a crossdresser?" he asked bluntly.

A nervous shock zipped up Shun's spine at Shirou's comment, and she immediately went to confront him. "Hey, kid, don't be rude. You can't just say that to someone out of nowhere," she scolded, a stern look on her face.

The twins appeared behind her, both patting Haruhi on the shoulder. "Wow, Haruhi, you're looking extra manly today," Kaoru said cheerily.

"Now, do what the boss says and let Shirou take care of that tea set. It's part of his training! You're too macho for tea sets!" Hikaru assured quickly, Tamaki, Kaoru, and himself beginning to laugh nervously.

Haruhi did as she was told. Unfortunately, the moment she handed Shirou the tea set, he dropped it, causing it to shatter into pieces.

Shun grit her teeth as he insisted it wasn't his fault, but she finally snapped and began cracking her knuckles menacingly. "Listen here, _brat_ ," she growled, "don't blame other people for your mistakes, or else you'll get in some real trouble."

Shirou huffed. "Why're you acting so tough? It's not like you'll do anything anyway."

The truth of the statement only caused Shun's anger to increase. Hikaru, noticing the intimidating aura emanating off of Shun in waves, pulled her back by the waist before she could lash out. "Don't do something you'll regret, Shun!" he said, struggling as she attempted to wrangle out of his hold, her strength akin to that of a raging bull.

"Hey, you should make the crossdresser do all your stupid chores!" Shirou said. "I'm not here to carry tea sets, I'm here to learn how to make women happy!"

Tamaki's eyebrow twitched. "You won't get anywhere with that attitude, and I am _not_ going to let you disrespect Haruhi and Shun! So," Tamaki said as he pointed at Shirou, "put this brat in isolation!"

"You got it, boss!" the twins affirmed as a large metal cage dropped over Shirou.

"Isn't that a little overkill?" Shun muttered, although it went unnoticed.

"What's going on here? Why'd you put me in a cage all of a sudden?" Shirou yelled. "This is no way to treat your loyal apprentice! Now let me outta this cage!"

Tamaki was unaffected by Shirou's indignant protests. "Not until you've learned your lesson," he said, sipping on a cup of tea. "I made you my apprentice because I thought you were serious about becoming a host, but I guess I was wrong."

Shirou was still persistent. "But I am serious!" he insisted. "Totally serious! I want you to teach me how to make a woman happy!" Looking defeated, he fell to his knees. "I'm gonna run out of time. Please, won't you teach me?"

Eyes widening, Shun began to listen closer. _What does he mean by that?_

"You're a host because you like girls. You like bringing a smile to a girl's face. That's why you do it, right? Please, won't you teach me to be like you?" Shirou pleaded. "You're a genius at it! You're the king!"

Shun sighed in exasperation as Tamaki stood up, a pleasantly shocked expression on his face. "Oh boy, here we go," she grumbled.

Standing up straight, Tamaki folded his arms across his chest confidently. "Well, you may be a brat, but I admire your desire to become a host, so I'll teach you." His eyes began to sparkle. "You know, Shirou, you and I are so much alike!"

Shirou, renewed with sudden energy, got to his feet. "Then you'll help me become the kind of host that can make any woman happy?"

Tamaki nodded his head. "Of course. Making women happy is the soul purpose of being a host. If this is what you really want, Shirou, then you'll have to figure out how to use the material you already have."

"What does that mean?" Shirou asked, looking thoroughly confused.

"Making use of your qualities?" Shun was also puzzled, and she glanced over at Haruhi for an explanation. Haruhi merely shrugged.

"You see," Kyouya began to explain, "here at the Ouran Host Club, our policy is to use our individual personality traits to meet the needs of our guests. For example, there's Tamaki, who is the princely type. There's the strong, silent type," _Must be Mori-senpai_ , Shun thought, "the boy-Lolita type," _Honey-senpai_ , "the little-devil type," _Hikaru and Kaoru_ , "and the cool type." _Definitely Kyouya._ "It's all about variety. And now our group is complete, with the addition of Haruhi—the natural—and Shun, the boyish type."

"It seems like we've got everything," Shun commented, and Kyouya nodded in confirmation.

"Exactly. Now we have a perfect blend of characteristics, so it's going to be difficult to find a new type for Shirou," he said.

Shun looked bemused. "Why can't we just have him be another boy-Lolita type?" she asked.

Hikaru slid over to her, wrapping his left arm around her shoulder and wagging his finger in her face. "You don't get it. We can only have one for each type, and Honey-senpai's already got that covered."

The boy in question pitifully gazed up at Shun with large tears dribbling down his face. "Is he gonna replace me?" he asked worriedly, his voice wobbling.

Shun smiled awkwardly at Honey, unsure of how she should comfort her _upperclassman_. "Don't worry about it," she said, attempting to reassure him. At this, the rivers of tears flowing on Honey's cheeks dried up immediately, and he beamed happily at Shun.

Then, out of nowhere, the sound of motors turning erupted from beneath the room, as well as the familiar voice of the host club's manager. "Oh, come on, is that all you've got?"

Once again, Renge interrupted the scene, striking a pose on top of the motor as it rose from the floor. "Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen, but what's with the lackluster character analysis? I must say, I'm quite disappointed. I thought I taught you better."

 _Here's where I tune myself out_ , Shun thought to herself. She vaguely caught a few details about how Shirou would be the naughty type, but she couldn't have cared less. What she really wanted to do was go home. She would have zoned out if Hikaru had not begun snapping his fingers in front of her.

"Try to pay attention, space cadet," Hikaru teased. Shun pinched his cheek in annoyance, causing him to startle.

She let go after seeing the red mark on his cheek and instantly felt guilty. "Sorry, I did that harder than I meant to," she apologized, reaching up to massage Hikaru's sore cheek while he stayed strangely silent, the rest of his face heating up. Luckily, before Shun could notice, Shirou growled in frustration.

"I've had enough of you people!" he yelled. "This is so stupid. None of this is ever gonna help me make her happy."

"Who's 'her'?" Haruhi wondered aloud.

Tamaki reached his hand out as Shirou ran away. "Wait, Shirou! We haven't taught you how to apply the techniques you've learned yet!" he called, only to be met with the slam of the doors.

Renge sighed, beginning to descend as her platform sunk into the ground. "I swear, younger boys are good for nothing. I went to all that trouble to coach him and he _quits._ "

Haruhi spoke up suddenly. "Never mind that, were you listening to what he said?"

Shun nodded in agreement. "He said that it wouldn't make 'her' happy, and that he'd run out of time. I wonder what he meant."

"I think that, maybe, it's a girl," Haruhi stated, as if nobody could have made that assumption already.

"Well, we might as well get to work." Everyone turned to look at Shun with surprised faces. Embarrassed by all of the attention, she fumbled with her next words. "I-I mean, you were the one who said that a host's job is to make a girl happy, right?" Shun switched her gaze to Tamaki, who was staring at her with joyful tears in his eyes.

"Shun, I knew you've been listening this whole time! I'm so proud of my little girl!" he cried, sweeping his arms out to engulf her in a hug.

She sidestepped him quickly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Whatever. Let's just help Shirou already and get it over with."


	10. A Good Deed Is Done!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **A Good Deed Is Done!**

* * *

Shun's nose twitched in annoyance. "This is dumb."

Haruhi nodded in agreement. "I can understand why they wanted Honey-senpai to wear an elementary school uniform. I mean, we are sneaking into an elementary school, and he totally fits in."

"But why do we have to dress in middle school uniforms?" Shun continued. She tugged at the tight collar of her uniform. Since she had immediately refused to wear the normal girls' uniform, Kyouya had given her the boys' uniform instead, which—although equally uncomfortable—felt like the better option for her.

"Why did we even bother with disguises? We stick out like a sore thumb," Haruhi pointed out bitterly.

Shun sighed and rubbed at a particularly pained spot on her head. Once she had put on the uniform, the twins insisted that they fix her hair as well. Unfortunately, 'fixing' equated to Kaoru trying to comb through the tightest knots in her hair while Hikaru straightened it, the heat of the flat iron practically burning her neck.

Before Shun's anger could simmer any more, Honey grabbed Haruhi and Shun, hooking both of his arms in one of theirs. "This way!" he said, pointing in the direction of a nearby classroom. As they attempted to make their way over there discreetly, Tamaki and the rest of the gang hid behind two large doors.

"Aren't they the cutest?" Kaoru remarked with adoration.

In response, Tamaki nodded his head fervently. "Look at Haruhi in that miniskirt! She looks like a little doll!"

"This is it—Shirou-chan's classroom!" Honey opened the large blue doors. "When I was in elementary school, this was my classroom, too!" he said, running in between the rows of desks happily. Haruhi and Shun followed behind, Shun's eyes flitting around cautiously.

Haruhi stopped, placing her hand on one of the desks. "There's nobody here."

Shun snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Way to point out the obvious."

Suddenly, Tamaki and the twins walked in. "So, the kid's classroom is empty, is it?" Tamaki noted.

"This sure takes me back," the twins said.

Brow twitching in annoyance, Shun slowly turned to face the intruders. "If you guys were just going to barge in here, then why," she said, stalking over to the hosts, "did you make us wear these _stupid_ disguises?"

Before they could respond, the sound of heels clicking on the tile floor reached the group's ears, and they all immediately ducked beneath the desks to hide.

"If the teacher finds us—"

"—then we'll have a hard time explaining why we snuck in."

Shun's hand shot out and clapped over Hikaru's mouth, much to his surprise. Shun stared at him with a mixed expression, two parts anger and one part fear. "Be quiet!" she hissed at him, although the command was unneeded, as Hikaru seemed to silence himself as soon as Shun touched him.

Haruhi held a finger up to her lips in a shushing gesture. "Shut up, guys! Just keep your lips zipped." As if to explain further, she mimed a zipping motion over her mouth, and Shun copied her.

Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki all flushed comically at the two girls. _Haruhi and Shun are the cutest things I've ever seen!_

After waiting in silence for a few seconds, Haruhi finally stood up and peered into the hallway. Seeing that the coast was clear, she turned back to the host club. "It's alright, they're gone."

Shun crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, but what do we do now?"

Just then, Kyouya interrupted from across the room. "Here's something interesting," he said, both himself and Honey examining some pictures that were hanging on the wall in front of them.

Haruhi went over and looked at one of the pictures, her eyebrows raising in recognition. "Hey, that's Shirou!"

Shun observed one picture, her eyebrow quirking slightly. In it, Shirou was playing the piano with a girl. They were both smiling happily. "So, he's in the classical music club, huh?" she thought aloud. "He looks like he's enjoying himself. I never knew he could look so... sweet."

Tamaki gazed at the picture softly. "Yeah," he murmured in agreement.

* * *

 **Outside the Classical Music Club's room...**

* * *

Honey pressed his face against the glass window of the club room. "Look, there's Shirou-chan!"

Shun watched quietly as a girl—the same one in the photograph—approached Shirou. She noticed his eyes had a melancholy tone to them, as if he were sad just because of the girl's presence. However, as the girl sat down at the piano and began playing, Shirou's downcast expression lit up slightly, his eyes closing and a content smile appearing on his face as pleasant music filled the room. "That must be the girl..." Shun said to no one in particular. Suddenly, she was pulled from her thoughts as the club room's door opened, a small girl with short brown hair stepping out.

"Pardon me, mademoiselle," Tamaki called to the girl, who turned to him with a surprised expression in response. He kneeled down so he could speak to the girl at eye-level and drew out a dainty white rose.

"Oh, brother," Shun groaned.

"I've never seen a rose more lovely than you, my dear. Here, this is for you." Tamaki gently placed the rose in the speechless girl's hand. "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about that young lady playing the piano. Do you know her?"

The young girl, who still looked as if she was at a loss for words, managed to reply. "That's Hina Kamishiro," she answered.

"Her name is Hina?" Tamaki asked, as if to cement the fact.

Nodding her head in affirmation, the girl continued. "That's right, but you better not fall in love with her."

"Why?"

"Didn't you know? Hina has to move away soon. Her dad just got a new job in Germany, so they have to move there at the end of the week," the girl said matter-of-factly.

Suddenly, Shirou—who had noticed the hosts standing outside of his club room—burst into the hallway. "What do you think you're doing?" Shirou's brash voice cut through the gentle atmosphere that the piano's music had made. "I thought I told you idiots to leave immediately!"

Tamaki was silent. Then, slowly, he stood up, threw Shirou over his shoulder, and began to walk away, ignoring Shirou's screams of protest.

As the hosts began to walk away, Shun stood awkwardly. _Shouldn't we thank the kid or something?_ Eventually, she decided to pat the young girl's head stiffly, mutter a gruff 'thanks', and turn to catch up with Haruhi, who was waiting behind for her.

As soon as the strange group entered the host club's room and Shirou was released from Tamaki's grasp, he began to yell (as usual). "What is your problem, you big idiot!"

"I'm sorry, but you're the idiot!" Tamaki snapped back, equally as angry as Shirou. "You said that you wanted me to teach you how to make women happy, but that's not it, is it? You're not concerned with the happiness of just any woman. You've got your sights set on one woman in particular, and that's Hina Kamishiro!"

Shirou looked shocked. Shun was also surprised at Tamaki's sudden seriousness, but it's not as if she hadn't been exposed to it before. She just never saw it to this specific degree.

Tamaki continued. "But I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to help you with that." His voice then grew soft. "Listen, Shirou. I know that I told you it's the job of a host to make women happy. But when you care for someone, you must find the courage to express what is in your heart! You have to tell her how you feel about her!"

Shirou's eyes widened slightly in shock, and he placed his hands on his knees, staring down at his shoes. "It doesn't matter anymore. I've run out of time. I just... I wanted to hear her play... before she left for good. That's all."

At his heartfelt explanation, Shun only sighed tiredly. "Man, you really are depressing sometimes, you know that?" Shirou's head whipped up as he gawked at her, the rest of the host club following suit. Ignoring them, Shun continued. "That song is Mozart's Sonata in D major. It's a duet, isn't it? So, just learn that and play it with her. I'm sure that will make her happier than any dumb hosting skills you've learned."

Tamaki gaped at Shun. "How did you know what song it was?"

Shun huffed and rested a hand on her hip. "Just because I play baseball, I can't appreciate classical music?" She scowled. "Man, talk about stereotyping."

Shirou interrupted. "But how can I learn it in a week? That's impossible!"

After hearing Shirou's claim, Tamaki walked to the center of the room where a large yellow curtain hung. Swinging it back, the silk curtain parted to reveal a sleek grand piano, the stool pushed out slightly.

"Wait a minute," Haruhi said, a blank expression on her face. "Since when is there a grand piano in here?"

"Well, this _is_ a music room, after all," Kaoru answered simply.

"So, why wouldn't it have a grand piano?" Hikaru added.

"It is a music room, after all," Kyouya repeated Kaoru.

"It is a music room," Mori echoed.

"It's always been there—we just had it covered up!" Honey explained.

"Okay, we get it!" Shun growled. She was about to say something else, but her attention was caught by Tamaki as he began playing a wonderful melody on the piano. He played flawlessly, never making a single mistake. _It's beautiful..._ Shun thought in amazement.

It was soon decided that the young boy would be taking lessons from Tamaki. It seemed as if there were, surprisingly, no complaints from Shirou once the decision was made.

* * *

 **At the end of the week...**

* * *

The doors to the third music room opened slowly. The hosts, all donning elegant white suits, stood lined up on each side of the entrance, all holding their arms out in a welcoming gesture to the girl who had just stepped in.

"Welcome, princess! We've been waiting!" they all said in perfect sync. The girl, Hina Kamishiro, jumped in surprise, her cheeks colored a lovely rose.

Tamaki bowed down in front of her. "I present to you: Shirou Takaoji's piano recital." He swept his arm out to the center of the room where two grand pianos stood, Shirou sitting at one of them. Pulling out the second chair, Tamaki gestured for Hina to seat herself.

Shirou turned to her with a smile on his face. "Let's play together, Hina."

Hina, after recovering from her initial shock, beamed brightly at him. "Okay!"

* * *

The hosts all watched with content expressions as the two children played together happily.

"We did a good thing," Tamaki said as he observed the recital.

"He loves with all his heart, so I guess that's one more way Shirou takes after you, huh, senpai?" Haruhi said softly.

Tamaki turned to face her. "Why, yes, I'd say so," he answered.

Shun watched with amusement as Haruhi stared up at Tamaki with wide eyes before breaking into a smile. _Aren't they cute?_ She thought to herself. Unbeknownst to her, similar to how she was observing Haruhi and Tamaki with satisfaction in her eyes, someone else was gazing at her with the same look.

* * *

 **Ten days later...**

* * *

"So, you've been exchanging emails with Hina every day now that she's in Germany?" Haruhi asked Shirou, who was sitting on one of the many pink couches situated in the third music room.

"Yeah, more or less," he answered. "I like her, but she can get pretty jealous for an elementary school girl. She'd be upset if she knew I was with you ladies, so let's keep this our little secret." Shirou gestured to the four girls seated around him, who gushed in response.

"Naughty boys are the best!" one girl said, kissing him on the cheek.

"I could kiss you!" another said, who followed suit.

Gritting his teeth in the background, Tamaki clenched and unclenched his fingers frustratedly. "You brat! What are you doing? Those are my guests!"

Shirou smirked. "Well, it looks like they've found someone they like better. It's so easy to steal your customers. I think there's a new host king in town."

At that last quip, Tamaki erupted into a fit, the twins trying their best to hold him back.

Shun guffawed loudly. "I like this kid now!"

Meanwhile, Haruhi watched the scene with a blank expression. "Shirou really does have a lot in common with Tamaki-senpai. I get the feeling that senpai was also a spoiled brat when he was a kid."

"Definitely!" Shun nodded her head vigorously in agreement, to which Tamaki gasped incredulously at the accusation.

"I was not a spoiled brat! I was nothing like him when I was a kid! I was a sweet, little, innocent, precocious, adorable child!" Tamaki yelled, wagging his finger at Shun and Haruhi.

"Call it whatever you want, senpai!" Shun teased, causing Tamaki to ramble on even more. _I think the host club's growing on me too much_ , Shun thought to herself. _Ah, whatever!_


	11. Jungle Pool SOS!

**Yay, the pool episode!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Jungle Pool SOS!**

* * *

 **3:30 P.M.**

* * *

"Practice dismissed!"

At Shun's call, the rest of the her team began collecting the various items scattered around the baseball field and packing them away in their duffel bags. After that, they then turned towards the direction of the locker rooms and exited the premises. Shun pulled a small hand towel from her bag and swiped it across her forehead as she followed the rest of her team into the locker rooms. However, instead of stopping to change, she passed the boys beginning to disrobe themselves and left, continuing into the hallway that led to the third music room instead. After joining the host club, Kyouya had informed her that she did not have to wait for everyone to leave the locker rooms in order to change; he had given her permission to change in the club room instead as to better conceal her true gender, of which she was undoubtedly grateful. As she neared the large double doors of the club room, she reached out to grab the knob. But, before she could even touch it, two appendages hooked beneath her armpits and hoisted her up into the air.

"Second target—"

"—captured!"

"What the hell?! Let me go!" Shun struggled as much as she could, but her mysterious captors held her firmly and carried her outside the school building, finally stopping in front of a shiny black limousine. The window rolled down to reveal Tamaki, who was sporting a pair of aviator sunglasses on his nose and a red flower lei around his neck. Shun could faintly see the silhouette of a small figure behind him—she knew immediately that it was Haruhi.

"Good, now take her with us," Tamaki ordered, to which the kidnappers saluted militarily as he slid the window back up with a chuckle. Then, Shun was picked up once again and taken to the opposite side of the car. The door opened automatically and she was roughly shoved inside the vehicle, right next to Haruhi.

"Where are we going?" Shun asked. The only answer she got was a cacophony of mischievous chuckles echoing from somewhere in the car—where it came from, she couldn't tell. All Shun could do was watch the image of the school grow fainter and fainter as the limousine sped away.

* * *

 **Twenty minutes later...**

* * *

Shun was jerked awake by Haruhi, who was shaking her shoulder. Apparently, she had fallen asleep during the car ride. Weakly blinking her eyes, Shun peered up at Haruhi.

"Where... are we?" Shun asked sluggishly, still recovering from her abruptly-ended nap.

Haruhi shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but we'll find out." She opened the door and clambered out of the car, Shun following behind groggily. As Shun opened her eyes fully to take in her surroundings, her face blanked. Palm trees and tropical flowers surrounded her, the dew on their leaves sparkling as light beamed on them. It was almost as if she had stepped into a different dimension. However, before she could fully react, the twins grabbed both her and Haruhi and dragged them to the women's changing room. Once they reached it, the twins pulled them up and pushed them in front of a pair of identical maids.

"Here. Do what you've got to do!" the twins chirped.

One maid tilted her head and smiled. "Okay, we'll do what we can!"

The other mirrored the first's actions. "Miss Fujioka, Miss Inoue, _just follow me._ " Her eyes flashed with a devilish gleam, causing Shun to gulp nervously. Then, the maids slowly reached out and yanked Haruhi and Shun into the changing room, slamming the door shut behind them.

Shun gawked at the sight before her. Rows and rows of assorted bathing suits stood in front of her, each a different shape, color, and size. Then, out of nowhere, one of the maids stripped her down in a matter of seconds, the various parts of her baseball uniform flying into the air.

Shun quickly attempted to cover herself. "What the hell are you doing?!" she shrieked.

"Hey, stop that!" Haruhi protested as the other maid tried to disrobe her.

The maids simply smiled. "We've been asked to help you choose a swimsuit!" one of them said.

"We've brought all of our mother's latest designs for you to choose from!" Shun heard Kaoru call from outside the door.

"Just pick whichever one you want!" Hikaru added.

Shun banged the door with her fist repeatedly in an attempt to break it down. "I don't need a stupid swimsuit! Just let me out of here!" Much to her annoyance, Hikaru and Kaoru merely snickered from the opposite side of the yellow doors.

"Are you ready, Miss Fujioka?" one maid asked.

"Are you ready, Miss Inoue?" the other echoed.

"It's time to pick one!" they trilled cheerily.

Haruhi sighed. "Thanks, but I don't need a swimsuit."

Shun crossed her arms over her chest. "Neither do I," she said sternly.

The maids were still persistent. "Why don't you let me select one for you?" one of them suggested. She picked up a white bikini with an elegant flower print on the left breast and held it up to the two girls in an offering gesture.

"No, not that one! I don't want a bikini." Haruhi shot down the offer quickly, and when the maid turned to Shun for an answer, she rapidly shook her head back and forth.

"No, wait—I think this one would be cute!" The other maid held up a skimpy bikini bottom made up of a few red strings that were only held together by small golden hoops. Shun made a disgusted face while Haruhi looked at the swimsuit in visible confusion.

"But, that's nothing more than a couple of strings!" she said. Immediately after Haruhi's comment, Shun could have sworn she heard a thud outside, but she simply shrugged it off. Eventually, after Shun made it very clear that both herself and Haruhi did not desire bikinis, they chose swimsuits that seemed relatively modest. Haruhi decided on a pink one-piece with a little white skirt flaring out at the bottom, along with a matching swim cap. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, Shun was sporting a navy blue one-piece with a vertical white stripe going down on each side of her waist and an open back. Before she left the changing room, she pulled on a pair of boys' cargo shorts that she had kept in her sports duffel bag as a spare.

As the pair left the confines of the women's bathrooms, they were stopped in their tracks by Tamaki, who blushed upon immediate inspection of Haruhi's outfit. A shiver zipped up his spine as Haruhi gazed at him innocently.

Thrusting out a yellow parka, Tamaki turned his face away to hide his obvious redness. "Just hurry up and put it on. A proper young woman should not show that much skin until after she is married."

Shun snorted and hid her mouth behind her hand. _He's really got it bad!_

After Haruhi put on the parka as per Tamaki's request, Shun grabbed her hand and walked with her to where the rest of the hosts were. Shun craned her neck to observe her surroundings in order to better understand where she was, but she found that she still had not even the smallest clue.

"Where are we? Are we even still in Japan?" Shun wondered aloud.

"Japan's not really known for its tropical locals," Haruhi noted.

"This place is a brand-new theme park that my family, the Ootori group, runs." Shun turned in the direction of the voice and found Kyouya, who was lounging on a chair and sipping some kind of tropical fruit juice. "It's called the Tropical Aqua Garden," he informed them.

Shun tilted her head in a puzzled gesture. "But isn't the Ootori group focused on medical stuff?" she asked.

"Yes, but my family likes to diversify and try different things. Besides, this place _could_ be classified as a healing facility," he answered.

"Huh? I don't get it," Haruhi said.

"It's therapeutic. Think of all the people who are overworked and would just love a vacation in the South tropics. However, they may not be able to get the time off or they may not be able to afford it. Those people can now seek refuge here at this theme park and reduce their stress levels." Kyouya adjusted his glasses and smiled at the two. "The Ootori group's primary concern has always been for the good health and well-being of the general public."

 _Sounds shady to me_ , Shun thought. She turned away and observed Honey splashing around in the pool happily. "How come no one else is here besides us?" she pondered.

"The park doesn't officially open until next month, but the host club was given a special advance invitation," Kyouya answered.

Shun glanced at Kyouya with an eyebrow raised. _I guess there are real perks to being in this club._ Suddenly, she was interrupted from her thoughts as Honey grabbed both her and Haruhi's arms, tugging on them happily.

"Shu-chan, Haru-chan! Wanna share some coconut juice with me? Or do you wanna try a piece of the mango cake?" he asked giddily.

"Yeah, sure, I'll have some coconut juice with you," Haruhi said.

Shun raised her hand excitedly. "Oh, oh! I want the mango cake!"

Honey giggled and ran away at their answers, most likely to get the specified snacks the two had requested. Then, Hikaru came over and rested his elbow on Shun's shoulder while Kaoru did the same with Haruhi.

"What's the deal with that pullover you're wearing?" Hikaru asked, gesturing to the yellow parka Haruhi had put on.

She tugged at the collar. "Oh, this thing? Tamaki made me wear it."

Kaoru pointed at Shun's cargo shorts. "Did Tamaki make you cover up too, Shun?" he questioned.

Shun huffed. "No, I put it on because I wanted to," she muttered.

"So you guys are not going to swim?" Hikaru asked.

"Hold on—you do swim, don't you?"

"I can swim just as good as the next guy, but this isn't my idea of fun. I'm not that big on water parks," Haruhi answered with a bored expression. "We're just gonna spend all day goofing off. Honestly, I'd rather be at home."

Shun chuckled. "Man, Haruhi, lighten up a little, will you?" Unlike Haruhi, Shun had no problem with water parks. Plus, she really could use the time to relax, since practice had just ended an hour ago and her joints were a still a bit sore. Walking over to the pool, she plopped down on the edge and dipped her legs in the water. She sighed contentedly as she felt the muscles in her legs loosen, the tense knots they had tied beginning to unfurl.

Suddenly, Honey appeared behind her, leaning on her back and placing his chin on her shoulder. "Shu-chan, let's play! You wanna go swimming in the current pool with me?" he asked eagerly.

"I'm too tired," Shun answered. Noticing the float around his waist, she peered at him curiously. "I thought you knew how to swim. Why do you need the float?"

Honey giggled. "Just looks cuter this way, you know?"

"He's so innocent," the twins commented simultaneously.

Then, a familiar voice pierced through the air once again. "No way, you've got it all wrong!" Rumbles echoed through the air as a motor platform emerged from the ground, the host club's manager perched atop it and laughing maniacally.

"Where the hell—!" Shun exclaimed. Renge began walking towards the hosts, and Shun was finally able to notice her outfit. She was holding a violet parasol and wearing a simple black bikini, and there was a strange purple symbol painted on her stomach.

"That outfit's pretty impressive," Hikaru remarked.

"What's with the tattoo on your stomach?" Kaoru inquired.

Renge chuckled. "Oh, that? You don't recognize it?" She grinned. "I'm cosplaying!"

"As who?" Shun asked.

"LaLa!" Renge sang.

"LaLa? Like the manga magazine?"

Clasping her hands together, Renge held them against her cheek in an admiring gesture. "Her petite and slender frame! Her blue eyes that light up young men's faces! Her singing voice! I am _Quon Kisaragi!_ "

"What?" Shun muttered, her expression lackluster. _I'll never understand anything Renge says._ Shun walked away from the group, searching for something to lift her boredom. Spotting Honey leaping into the current pool, she made her way over just as he splashed into the water. Shun chuckled as the droplets rained on her head. She turned to Mori as he walked over to her, her eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Hey, Mori-senpai, you should try swimming against the current!" Shun suggested. Mori smiled slightly and made a sound of agreement, ruffling her hair playfully. Soon, Mori was paddling briskly in the opposite direction of the current as Honey perched on his back.

Honey waved at the rest of the hosts. "Hey, look at this, everybody! Check it out, look! Even though we're swimming really fast, we never go any further than we are now!" he called, laughing elatedly.

Shun, who was watching Honey with a satisfied smile, jumped when she felt something cold splash on her bare back. She whipped around angrily, only to see Hikaru smirking at her as he pumped a water gun.

"I got you!" he teased playfully. Then, he turned and aimed the gun at Tamaki, shooting him directly in the face.

Kaoru stood next to Hikaru and filled his water gun. "Come on, boss, let's go! Let's have a water gun fight!"

"It'll be me, Kaoru, and Shun against you," Hikaru said. "If you get it in the face, you lose. What do you say?"

Tamaki wiped his face with a towel. "Forget it. Why would I want to subject myself to a childish game like that?"

The twins' eyes shined slyly. Hikaru reached out to grab Shun, who was on her way to get revenge on him for spraying water on her, while Kaoru grabbed Haruhi.

"Shun, I think it's time that we got married!" Hikaru grinned cheekily at Shun, who growled in response.

"Then we'll honeymoon in Atami with Haruhi!" Kaoru added.

Within seconds, Tamaki was furiously pumping a water gun with supernatural speed. "Do you really think I'd ever let Shun and Haruhi marry you guys?" he grumbled. Swiveling around, he pointed the barrel of the gun right in the twins' direction. "Daddy says _no!_ " Tamaki pulled the trigger, water spurting out of the gun instantly.

Hikaru grabbed Shun's hand and yanked her out of the way, causing her to fall into his chest. "Come on, Shun, let's go!" he said, beginning to run in the opposite direction. Shun dug her heels into the ground and slipped her hand from his grasp. He turned to her with a confused expression, but it morphed into a mix of fear and shock when she pulled out a bazooka-sized water gun from behind her back and aimed it at his face.

Shun leered at him. "Revenge is best served cold!" Water exploded from the gun, drenching Hikaru from head to toe. Shun burst out laughing as he gaped at her, still completely flabbergasted. _He looks like a wet puppy!_

Eventually, Hikaru recovered from the shock of the impact and protested indignantly. "Agh, come on!" he cried angrily, only causing Shun to laugh harder. "You'll pay for this!"

Still chuckling, Shun hoisted the enormous contraption over her shoulder and sprinted away. "Only if you can catch me!" she called, laughing joyfully as she fled. Hikaru's face flushed slightly before he chased after her. _Her laugh is really cute..._

Shun, in her fervent pursue of a hiding spot, ended up accidentally running into the line of fire between Tamaki and Kaoru. Her attempt to duck under the shots was too late, and she ended up getting blasted in the face by Kaoru.

Tamaki, noticing Shun's drenched face, jumped to the left, his body parallel to the ground as he aimed at Kaoru. "I'll avenge you, Shun! Sideways Leaping Shot!" In response to the oncoming projectiles, Kaoru held up a decorative tiki shield to block Tamaki's shots. "That's cheating!" Tamaki cried indignantly as he tried to land on his feet properly. Unfortunately, his left foot skidded on a banana peel, and he was sent tumbling. His line of motion finally stopped when his head knocked into an enormous totem pole.

Shun gulped as the eyes of the totems flashed red. _What's going on?_ Turning her head around frantically, Shun noticed an enormous wave approaching Honey from behind. Dropping her water gun, she raced to the edge of the current pool as fast as she could.

"Shun, where are you going?" Hikaru asked. His eyes widened as he saw the wave that was coming closer, and he began to chase after Shun. "Wait, Shun, stop—!"

Ignoring Hikaru's calls, Shun dove into the wave pool and grabbed Honey by the shoulders. "Come on, Honey-senpai, let's—"

Before she could finish, the wave crashed down on her and Honey.

"Shun! Honey-senpai!"

" _Mitsukuni!_ "

" ** _Shun!_** "


	12. Operation Rescue Shun and Honey!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Operation: Rescue Shun and Honey!**

* * *

"Gentlemen!" Tamaki pointed his index finger upward. "We're going after Shun and Honey-senpai!" He then directed his finger to the end of the wave pool where it entered the jungle. "That pool looks like the quickest way! **_CHARGE!_** "

At his command, all of the hosts began sprinting behind Tamaki as he led the way—all except for Kyouya.

"Wait, I wouldn't go—!" Kyouya tried to warn them, but it was too late. Alligators sprang up from the water, snarling and gnashing their teeth dangerously. The hosts that had bravely charged forward just moments ago were now turning tail and speeding away.

"There're alligators in there!" they yelled as they ran.

After reaching safety from the offending reptiles, Tamaki straightened up and pointed his finger to the sky once again. "Okay, so we can't use that pool!" He gestured in a different direction. "Then let's try this way next!"

Unfortunately, there were alligators guarding their territory in that area as well. No matter where the hosts went, they were met with the friendly maws of vicious, water-dwelling reptiles. The host club members all breathed heavily from the excessive exercise, their chests heaving up and down.

"What's with all the alligators?" Haruhi muttered.

"Beats me," Tamaki grunted in response.

Kyouya stood passively as he wrote in his notebook, seemingly unaffected by the presence of alligators in his family's theme park. "Those alligators belong to the park's Tropical Animals exhibit. I guess it is kind of dangerous to let them run wild. Though, the cause of our present situation seems to be the location of the switch for the current pool. I'll have to have a little chat with our designers." Snapping his book shut, he smiled brightly at the exhausted hosts. "Thanks a lot, you guys! I got some great data today!"

"You _what?!_ " Everyone turned to gape at Kyouya. Ignoring their stares, he walked over to a map that stood in front of the changing rooms and pointed to a particular spot on it. "This is a map of the Tropical Aqua Garden. _This_ is our current location. We need to get _here_. I have a feeling that's where Shun and Honey-senpai probably ended up. It might be tough—because to get there, we'll have to make it through this jungle area here in the southern block. Distance-wise, we're talking about 800 meters."

Haruhi looked up at Kyouya with a concerned expression. "Looks like there are a lot of undeveloped areas. Any idea what might be lurking in those parts of the jungle?"

"Since they're still being developed, I'm afraid I don't know," Kyouya answered.

"Whatever's out there could be even more dangerous—"

"—than alligators!"

Tamaki clenched his fists and held them in front of himself determinedly. "Alright! Now, this is a mission of survival! I know we can make it through the treacherous jungle in one piece! It is our sworn duty to save Shun and Honey-senpai!"

The rag-tag group trudged through the deep confines of the jungle, all of their faces blank except for Tamaki's, who had hard determination set in his eyes.

"Wow, this place is just like a real jungle, huh?" he noted.

"Yeah, and I keep hearing all of these really strange animal calls," Haruhi added.

"You don't think all those sounds—" Hikaru began.

"—could belong to the real thing, do you?" Kaoru finished, the two of them turning to look at Kyouya.

"To be honest, I'm not sure, but I do know that my family always strives for authenticity—whatever the cost," Kyouya answered nonchalantly.

The hosts continued on their way in silence for a minute or two before it was broken by a loud thud. All of them turned to gawk at Mori, who was laying on the ground with a banana peel on his face.

 _Just as I thought. He_ is _worried._ Haruhi thought to herself as Mori picked himself up off of the ground. She looked up to the sky as it darkened, the sound of rumbling thunder accompanying it.

Kyouya glanced at his watch. "Uh-oh, it's about time for the squall."

As rain began its descent, the host club took cover under a grass hut nearby. Kaoru glanced anxiously at his brother, who was seated next to him on the bench. _He's being awfully quiet. I didn't think he'd get this worried._

Kaoru stood up and tapped Haruhi's shoulder. "Haruhi, you seem strangely calm about all this. Shun _is_ your family, right? Aren't you a little bit worried?"

"No, not really," she replied bluntly. "I know that she's strong and can take care of herself, so I guess I'm not as concerned as I should be."

Kaoru watched Hikaru's downcast expression lift a bit at Haruhi's remark. _He really cares about Shun_ , Kaoru thought to himself. _I wonder where she is right now._

* * *

 **Some other part of the jungle...**

* * *

"Shu-chan, Shu-chan!"

Shun's eyes fluttered open weakly at the sound of her name. As her vision cleared, she could faintly make out Honey's figure as he sat next to her, shaking her shoulders gently. Slowly sitting up, she rubbed the water from her eyes and took a moment to study her surroundings. They seemed to be in a jungle, as there were tropical plants everywhere she looked.

"Honey-senpai... where are we?" Shun mumbled.

"I don't know!" he wailed, tears beginning to flow down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Shu-chan! It's all my fault that we're lost in this place!"

Shun smiled forgivingly and pat Honey's head. "Don't worry, Honey-senpai. We'll get out of here somehow." Placing her hands on her knees, Shun slowly stood up and stretched, feeling the joints in her back pop. Then, sucking in a breath of air, she puffed out her chest. "Let's start walking!"

The pair walked for a while, but it felt to Shun like they were just traveling in circles. They even had to stop for some time because it had begun to rain. It wasn't as bad as it could've been; Honey told Shun that Mori was his cousin and even entertained her with funny stories from when they were little. It was uplifting, but it didn't make them any less lost than they were. Eventually, after what felt like hours, Shun found a clearing that looked different from every other path they had taken.

"Come on, senpai, this way!" she called behind her as she ran forward. After seeing another open area, she turned around excitedly to inform Honey-senpai, but she was only met with the sight of the jungle's trees. Shun's heart plummeted into her stomach after she realized that she had somehow lost Honey and was now completely alone. Taking a deep breath, Shun continued through the clearing, muttering to herself in an attempt at consolation.

"Calm down. You'll be fine. You definitely won't die in this jungle alone." Shun sighed, her head hanging dejectedly. _What am I doing? I sound insane._ Suddenly, a rustling noise reached her ears, causing her to panic and search around frantically for a place to hide. Before she could make a move to duck behind a bush, two figures emerged from the foliage. Shun's face broke out into a grateful smile when she recognized who they were.

"Haruhi! Mori-senpai!" She ran over to them happily, using a hand to swipe at the dirt and sweat on her face.

Mori let Haruhi down from his arms, who ran over to Shun as soon as her feet hit the ground. "Shun, you're okay!" Haruhi then peered behind Shun, as if she were looking for something. "Is Honey-senpai with you?"

A nervous shock went up Shun's spine as she glanced nervously from Haruhi's inquiring gaze to Mori's stoic expression. Then, she suddenly bowed in front of Mori, who appeared to be slightly surprised at the action.

"I'm sorry, Mori-senpai! Honey-senpai was with me, but we got separated!" Shun confessed. She couldn't bring herself to raise her head. _Man, he must be furious with me!_

To her shock, Mori did not react with any of the spite that she had imagined. He simply pat her head softly and smiled.

"I'm thankful you kept him company," he said.

Shun scratched the back her neck guiltily. "I still feel kinda bad..."

"I'm sure we'll find Honey-senpai." Haruhi reassured Shun in an attempt to lift her guilt, which seemed to work, as Shun visibly perked up at her comment.

"Let's keep walking, then." Shun turned around and was about to start, but her legs crumpled from overexertion. Before she could fall to the ground, Mori swooped her up with one arm. "Uh, thanks," Shun mumbled, still a bit surprised. Soon, the three hosts continued on their quest for Honey-senpai, Mori carrying Shun with his left arm while Haruhi walked beside them.

Somewhere during their expedition, Shun fell asleep once again, exhausted from her previous travels with Honey. However, the sound of boots hitting the ground woke her from her slumber, and when she opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of armed men surrounding her. _What's going on?_ When Shun tried to remove herself from Mori's arms, he refused to let go, instead holding her closer to him in a protective gesture. He then moved in front of Haruhi, pushing her behind his back.

Two of the men turned to each other and nodded, cocking their guns. "The target has been captured by a suspicious man. We'll take the target into custody."

Another man pointed his gun at Mori. "You there! Put the boy down immediately! If you refuse, we'll remove him forcefully!"

"Hey, wait—" Shun attempted to argue, but she was cut off when one of the men grabbed her arm. She winced a bit in pain, as the man's grip was strong and unrelenting. As fast as light, Mori swiftly knocked the man back, sending him flying into the bushes with several missing teeth.

The other men raised their guns at Mori. "The suspect is resistant! Prepare to fire a warning shot!" one of them shouted.

As their guns clicked, Shun used the distraction to slip out of Mori's grasp. She walked forward slowly, an intimidating aura emanating off of her. Both of her hands clenched tightly as she stopped in front of the men, scarily silent. Then, she suddenly drove her fist into a soldier's face, destroying the black visor he wore. As he flew back, Shun flicked her wrist, causing it to release a cracking sound. She raised her hands in a defensive position, as if challenging the men to fight.

However, before they could, a voice cut through the air. "Shu-chan, out of the way!"

Shun peered up into the foliage, only to see Honey hanging onto a vine (where did it even come from?) as he flew past the jungle trees, howling all the way. Smirking, she stepped to the right just as Honey slammed his foot into the soldier in front of her. The small upperclassmen flipped in the air and landed on his feet gracefully.

The men that were still standing immediately aimed their guns at Honey. "Hey! What do you think you're doing, pipsqueak?!"

Shun crossed her arms over her chest and watched in amusement as Honey completely demolished the armed policemen. Meanwhile, Haruhi gawked at the scene.

After taking them all down, Honey stood up slowly. "You guys should be more careful who you mess with!" He then pointed his index finger at the fallen soldiers in a scolding gesture. "Picking on my friends is bad, got it?"

Shun couldn't hold back the chuckle that left her lips. The image of a small boy surrounded by the policemen he had befallen was so juxtaposed that one couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly, an arm grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. She was met with the worried eyes of Hikaru as he held both of her shoulders tightly.

"Are you insane? Chasing after Honey-senpai like that, you could have killed yourself!" he chastised, his eyes giving her a hurried once-over.

Sighing exasperatedly, Shun squished her hand against his cheek, effectively pushing him away. "I'm fine, you big dummy."

Kaoru watched the two interact with an entertained expression on his face. Despite Shun's reassurance that she had not been harmed, Hikaru still stood in front of her protectively.

Bending over, Kaoru poked at the twitching bodies of the soldiers Honey had taken down. "I'm not sure what happened here, but at least they're still alive. It's pretty amazing that this is Honey-senpai's work—he must have really been holding back," he noted.

"What do you mean he was holding back?" Haruhi asked.

"So then—" Kaoru began.

"—you don't know about senpai?" Hikaru finished. (He was still standing beside Shun, and he managed to sneak a hand onto her head without her noticing.) "The Haninozuka's are famous for their martial arts," he said matter-of-factly. "Not only have they helped train the police and SDF forces, but they've also worked with several overseas militaries."

Kyouya's glasses flashed. "Honey-senpai in particular has been called the dreadnaught of the Haninozuka family. By the time he was in middle school, he'd become the national champion in both karate and judo." At that, Honey smiled brightly.

Tamaki suddenly joined the conversation. "Mori-senpai's no slouch either. He won the national championship in kendo when he was just in middle school." Mori spared Tamaki a quick glance at the mention of his successes.

Kyouya turned to Shun. "I have to admit, I am confused about _you_ , Shun."

Shun looked at Kyouya with a bored expression. "What do you mean?"

His glasses gleamed as he pushed them up on his nose. "I never knew you were as strong as you are. How did that come about?"

Shun scoffed. "I thought it was obvious." Grinning smugly, Shun lifted her arms and flexed, emphasizing the toned muscles of her biceps. "I'm good at baseball for a reason, you know."

Tamaki's jaw dropped, and he immediately began fretting over how _manly_ Shun was, fearing that her strength surpassed even that of her 'father's'.

Ignoring Tamaki's antics, Kaoru turned to Honey with an inquisitive look. "So how were you able to find us, Honey-senpai?"

"It wasn't hard!" Honey chirped. "It didn't take Shu-chan and I long to reach the end of the current pool, so we decided to look for you guys! I did get separated from her along the way, but it looks like everything turned out alright in the end!"

"We humbly apologize!" one of the men said, catching everyone's attention. All of the soldiers that were previously unconscious now bowed before Honey.

"I am a second-generation student of the Ishizuka Dojo!"

"I'm a student of the Todoroki Dojo!"

"And I'm from the Otake Dojo! We are in your debt!"

Honey gazed at them with a puzzled face. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Yes, sir! We're so sorry, sir! We were unaware that we were searching for Mitsukuni Haninozuka! We've committed a terrible offense here!" one of them yelled, his shoulders shaking. "I apologize for this confrontation, but my dojo will be so excited to hear that I've come face-to-face with the great Haninozuka! I cherish this moment!"

 _Are these guys serious?_ Shun thought to herself. _Man, Honey-senpai is way deeper than I thought!_

After lots of groveling and pleading, Kyouya eventually forgave the soldiers for their unwarranted actions. Honey smiled and pulled Mori down by the wrist, petting his cousin's head affectionately.

"Takashi! You did an amazing job of protecting Shu-chan and Haru-chan!" he praised. He then released Mori and placed both hands on his waist. "I bet you were pretty lonely without me around, huh?"

Mori glanced in Haruhi and Shun's direction. "I don't know if I'd say that." Shun smiled at him in response while Honey giggled.

* * *

 **A little while later...**

* * *

By the time the hosts reached the main area of the Tropical Aqua Garden, it was nearly nighttime.

"You know, maybe we should go to the beach next," Hikaru suggested, his arms resting behind his head as he walked next to Shun.

"Yeah, the beach would be nice!" Kaoru agreed.

Tamaki sighed. "You idiots. Haruhi and Shun aren't interested in anything like that."

Haruhi lifted her chin up in thought. "Actually, I might like to go to the beach." She stopped walking and turned to face the pool. "I may not be into this silly water park, but I like the ocean. It would be nice to go to the beach, and it's so pretty."

Immediately nodding his head in agreement, Tamaki held his chin. "Yeah, alright! Then that's where we'll go next time. What do you think, Shun?"

Shun smiled slightly. "The beach sounds great."


	13. The Sun, The Sea, And The Host Club!

**Ah, the famous beach episode is here! I wonder what will happen, hm?**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Sun, The Sea, And The Host Club!**

* * *

Haruhi stared at the twins curiously. "The beach?"

Hikaru and Kaoru both smiled brightly. "Of course! The beach!"

"But why?"

"Don't you remember what you said?" Hikaru asked.

"You said you'd like to go to a real beach!" Kaoru reminded.

Haruhi still seemed clueless. "Did I say that?"

The twins peered at her with blank expressions. "Yes, Haruhi." Then, they moved to the side to reveal rows of new bathing suits, each one different from the set provided the day before. "Here's the fun part!"

"We've brought swimsuits for you and Shun to choose from!" Kaoru chirped, pointing to a frilly, pink two-piece.

"Pretty cute, don't you think?"

"Not that one!" Honey held up a mannequin that donned a blue one-piece. "I think that this swimsuit would look much cuter on Haru-chan!"

The twins tutted, waving their fingers back and forth. "I don't think you get it, Honey-senpai." They lifted Haruhi by the armpits, dangling her between them.

"Just look," Hikaru sighed. "This uniform barely hides the fact that Haruhi's as flat as a cutting board."

"A one-piece suit like that would only upset her because it draws attention to her lacking feminine physique!" Kaoru said matter-of-factly.

"That's why," they said as they gestured to the ruffled swimsuit, "we carefully selected this two-piece suit, see! The ruffles help hide the fact that she's so flat-chested!"

Shun, who was reading a book quietly, rolled her eyes at the twins' antics. Unfortunately for her, they both noticed her clear disinterest.

Hikaru rested his elbow on her head and waved a finger in front of her face, much to her annoyance. "Don't think we forgot about you, Shun."

"Because of your broad shoulders, something like a strapped swimsuit would only make your figure look cramped and awkward," Kaoru commented, causing Shun to grit her teeth.

Hikaru brought out another mannequin, this one wearing a close-fitting black-and-blue top with short sleeves that ended at the elbow, paired with a simple bikini bottom. "Because of this suit's longer sleeves, your shoulders will appear more comfortable-looking, and the color helps accentuate your figure!"

Shun growled and reached inside her duffel bag, pulling out a metal baseball bat. However, before she could swing, Tamaki grabbed it from her hand and smacked the twins out of the ballpark.

"You punks had better quit sexually harassing my little girls!" he ordered. "I've had enough of _you!_ "

The twins peeked out from behind an ornate vase. "That means... we're not going to the beach?"

Tamaki rested the bat on his shoulder. "Who said that we're not going?"

The twins' expressions lifted instantly. "Really? So you want to go after all?"

Honey clutched his stuffed bunny to his chest. "Can Usa-chan come, too?"

Writing something on a clipboard, Kyouya nodded. "I have no problem with that."

"Huh? We're really gonna go?" Haruhi raised a curious eyebrow at Tamaki, who grinned at her confused look.

"Why not? Let's go to the beach!" he announced.

Shun's eye twitched in irritation. "That's great and all, but give me back my baseball bat first!"

* * *

 **At the beach...**

* * *

Shun sighed disappointedly. "What's the point of going to the beach if we have to bring all the girls along?" She laid back against the beach towel she was sitting on, resting her hands under her head. Haruhi sat next to her, wiping at the small beads of sweat beginning to form on her forehead. A small crab scuttled past the two girls' feet.

"I thought going to the beach meant a day off," Haruhi complained. Shun nodded in agreement. Noticing a presence approaching, Shun turned around and saw three girls standing behind her and Haruhi, looking as if they were hesitating on something.

"Um, aren't you guys going to go swimming with us?" one girl piped up.

"No, uh, I like looking at the sea from a safe distance," Haruhi answered.

"Well, if you aren't going to swim, would you mind if we sat here and talked with you two?" another girl asked.

Shun waved her hand in front of her face and smiled awkwardly. "Nah, we'd just bring you down. Go and have fun! It would be a waste if you went through the trouble of putting on those cute swimsuits and not actually go swimming."

At Shun's reponse, the three girls sighed in adoration, their cheeks pinking slightly. A beach volleyball rolled near Shun, and she reached out to grab it.

"Hey, Shun!" Shun turned to see Hikaru waving at her. "Can you pass it back?"

At his call, Shun stood up and made her way over to the twins, tossing the ball in Hikaru's direction. He caught it with one hand and ruffled her hair playfully with the other.

"I can't believe he fooled us," Hikaru said.

"Who'd have thought he'd bring the ladies with us?" Kaoru thought aloud.

"We certainly didn't expect it," Hikaru admitted.

Kyouya, who had been passively listening to the conversation, decided to speak up. "You were invited on this all-expenses-paid vacation for a reason, and that is to keep our clients entertained."

"We know," Hikaru sighed, "but with the ladies here—"

"—Haruhi and Shun can't change into their swimsuits!"

Tamaki smirked as he laid back on a white lounge chair. "Don't worry, I've got it all under control. My little angels shouldn't be prancing around in swimsuits—at least not in front of two perverts like you." He gazed off into the distance as if he were imagining something. Then, he suddenly began squirming on his chair like some kind of strange worm. "It'll happen just like that—the greatest day of my life! I don't know if I can handle it!"

"What's the matter with Tamaki? Is he having a seizure?" one of the girls nearby inquired with a worried expression. The twins merely leaned back in their seats.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Hikaru reassured.

"He gets like this occasionally," Kaoru added.

Shun, who had been observing the scene, smirked and walked towards the ocean, watching as the waves lapped at the pearl-white sand. Slowly, she stepped forward, the water reaching just above her ankles. Fluffy white clouds peeked over the horizon, and the sea glimmered brightly as the sun beamed down on it. _The view is so beautiful_ , Shun thought to herself. As the warm breeze blew by, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, the salty air filling her lungs.

Because Shun was not looking behind her, she startled a bit when she felt something rest on her shoulder. However, when she turned around, she was only met with Hikaru's grinning face.

"You seem like you're really enjoying yourself," he noted. Shun nodded as she turned back to face the ocean, watching the faraway waves grow and shrink.

"Well, I don't really get to vacation often, so it's always great when I do." She faced Hikaru and smiled slightly at him. "Plus, even though we have to bring the guests with us, I think it's more fun with the host club around."

Hikaru blushed slightly at Shun's comment and attempted to formulate a coherent sentence. "Yeah, well, don't expect us to leave you alone anytime soon."

Shun opened her mouth to respond but stopped when she heard Haruhi's voice.

"It's a major haul! Dinner's gonna be awesome! It'll be a real treat!"

Smiling at Haruhi's joyfulness, Shun walked over to her and Tamaki, leaving Hikaru to blush by himself. However, as soon as she reached Haruhi, a small centipede wriggled out of the crab Tamaki was holding.

"CEN—"

"—TI—"

"—PEDE!"

All of the guests nearby screamed and ran away, Tamaki reaching after them weakly as lonely tears dribbled down his face. Shun laughed at their outrageous reactions while Haruhi calmly plucked the insect from the crab and tossed it over some nearby rocks.

The twins slid over to the two girls, Hikaru resting his elbow on Shun's shoulder while Kaoru mirrored him on Haruhi's side.

"Now, I know most girls aren't the bug-loving type, and I certainly didn't think that you two were, but—" Hikaru began.

"—don't you think you could have been easier on that little guy?" Kaoru finished.

Haruhi dusted her hands off. "Oh, come on, it's not dead. Takes a lot more than that to kill a bug."

Shun snorted. "Besides, why would someone go easy on it anyway?"

As soon as the insect's absence was known, the girls began to return to the area, sighing in admiration at Shun and Haruhi.

"Haruhi is so brave and manly!"

"Shun is just too cool!"

As metaphorical hearts started appearing in the air, Shun decided to take her leave. The last thing she wanted was to be fawned over by a bunch of girls. She made her way over to the twins, who were talking to Tamaki as he clutched the crab in his hands.

"The deadline is sunset tomorrow!" Shun overheard Hikaru say.

"Whoever finds out their weaknesses first wins!" Kaoru chirped.

"And I have the perfect prize for the game's lucky winner," Kyouya interrupted suddenly, his glasses shining. As soon as Shun turned to observe what the prize was, she practically blew a gasket. In his hands were two sets of pictures—one set had multiple candids of Haruhi in middle school, while the other set was of Shun when she was on the junior baseball team. One picture was of her in seventh grade, donning her baseball uniform and smiling brightly (although her front tooth was missing). On her shoulder was a dented baseball bat, and the batting helmet she wore was two sizes too big, so it dipped over her eyes.

At the sight of Shun's photograph, Hikaru automatically reached out to snatch it from Kyouya's fingers—unfortunately, Kyouya held it above his head, well out of Hikaru's reach.

"We wanna play, too!" Honey chirruped brightly.

"I guess that means we're all competing," Kyouya said while waving the pictures in different directions, as Tamaki's face was glued to the candids of Haruhi.

"Hey, wait a minute, where did you get those pictures, Kyo-chan?" Honey asked innocently.

Shun scowled and began cracking her knuckles. "I'd like to know, too," she growled menacingly.

Unfortunately, Kyouya was unfazed by Shun's attempts at intimidation. "I have my sources," he said simply. "How about we just leave it at that for the moment?"

Shun's angry façade faded away, and she took a step back from Kyouya cautiously. _I've gotta watch my back around him!_

* * *

 ** _And so..._**

 ** _Let the games begin!_**

* * *

 **I felt like this chapter was a little jumpy. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	14. A Vacation Goes Wrong!

**Wow, 28 favorites and 43 follows, not to mention all of the great reviews! Thank you for staying with this story despite it mainly sticking with the anime—that will change in the near future!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **A Vacation Goes Wrong!**

* * *

 **Plan One: Paranormal Fear Strategy**

Shun winced as she bumped her head against a rock. _What are we in here for, anyway?_ She rubbed her sore temple, a sour expression on her face. _What are those twins up to, bringing us into a weird cave like this_...

"This is the place," Hikaru whispered. "It's the most haunted spot in all of Okinawa! The locals don't even come out here."

The dim glow of Kaoru's flashlight did little to light up the cave they were in. "They say that the only time you can even find this cave is at low tide. Evidently, many people have died down here from drowning, and their souls still linger, taking their revenge on anyone who happens to come inside!"

The two girls that were standing beside Shun whimpered as they clutched each other, their shoulders shaking with fear.

Suddenly, Hikaru pointed to a shadow in the corner. "Look!"

The girls shrieked in terror as the 'ghost' laughed maniacally. A ghoulish hand reached out and grabbed Haruhi's shoulder. She turned to peer at it skeptically.

"What's going on? Are you trying to freak me out?" she asked.

Disappointed in her lackluster reaction, the twins both turned to Shun, who was picking seaweed off of the bottom of her sandals.

Noticing their dissatisfied expressions, Shun straightened up and looked at them innocently. "What?"

 **Status: Failed**

* * *

 **Plan Two: Claustrophobia Attack Strategy**

Honey waved at Shun and Haruhi cheerily. "Haru-chan, Shu-chan, would you come over here?" he called.

After making her way over to Honey, Shun stared at him quizzically. He was standing inside a large truck while a group of the Ootori family's police officers stood nearby—for some reason, he was wearing a pink float around his waist.

"What are you doing?" Shun asked.

"Are you sure it's okay to drive a truck like this on the sand?" Haruhi had a worried expression on her face.

Honey waved at the two girls dismissively. "Don't worry about it!"

After Shun and Haruhi had entered the vehicle, Honey lifted his hand. "Well, we're ready whenever you are, private police people!" He then bowed his head. "Please lower the door!"

Shun sighed tiredly as the door slammed down in front of them. As she expected, Honey began to panic as soon as the door had shut.

"It's dark and scary in here! _I feel like I can't breathe!_ **_Let me out!_** **_I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!_** "

"Honey-senpai, calm down!"

 **Status: Failed**

* * *

 **Plan Three: Fear-of-sharp-objects Strategy**

Haruhi stared at the harpoon Mori had thrust in front of her, the sharp tip just centimeters away from her nose. Shun spared a glance at it, a bored expression on her face.

"Mori, uh, you're my senpai—not a sentai," Haruhi said.

The harpoon slowly dipped to the ground as if it were disappointed. Meanwhile, Shun was rolling on the sand in hysterics.

 **Status: Failed**

* * *

 **Later in the day...**

* * *

Hikaru and Kaoru sat next to each other, both of them perched on top of a stone wall that surrounded one of the many guest houses.

"This game's harder than I thought it'd be," Hikaru sighed.

Kaoru nodded in agreement. "No joke. I'm totally bored with it already."

The twins watched Haruhi for a moment as she collected more shellfish near the shore while Shun trailed behind her, carrying two full buckets.

"What kind of heroines are they? They've gotta be afraid of something, right?" Hikaru thought aloud.

Suddenly, a triumphant laugh came from the bushes behind them. Hikaru and Kaoru turned to see Tamaki crouching on the ground, rifling through some tall grass with a gleeful smile.

"What's up, boss?" Hikaru asked.

"What are you doing?" Kaoru peered at Tamaki with a curious expression on his face.

Tamaki lifted up a red bucket filled to the brim with coiled snakes. "I found some rat snakes! Surely they'll freak out when they see these!"

"Anyone would think those are creepy, so it isn't really a weakness," Hikaru pointed out.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Hold on—I thought there weren't any rat snakes in Okinawa."

* * *

Haruhi plucked another shell from between two rocks. "Another side dish!" she exclaimed with a giggle.

Shun bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "Man, I can't wait to eat these!" Just the thought of it caused her mouth to water. _Oh man, oh man! They're gonna taste so good! I wonder if there's any butter back at the resort—_

"Look up here, guys!" A voice interrupted Shun's wandering thoughts. She looked upward in the direction of the voice and saw three girls standing on the overhang above them.

"The breeze up here feels great!" one of them remarked.

Gently setting down the buckets of shellfish she was holding, Shun started to make her way up to where the girls were standing. "It's dangerous! I'm coming up there!"

After she had trudged halfway up the cliff, Shun began to hear male voices. Her pace involuntarily quickened until she reached the top, and her temper flared at the sight before her. Two men were holding the girls as they squirmed uncomfortably, refusing to let them go despite their protests. Shun's rage boiled over—there was practically steam pouring out of her ears. Picking up a small rock, she hurled it at the closest man's head, where it landed with a satisfying cracking sound. In the man's surprise, he let go of the girl he was holding, and she fled as soon as his grip loosened.

"Hey, morons, let them go!" Shun barked, her fists clenching together tightly.

The man's face twisted into a scowl. "You little runt—!"

* * *

The girl that had escaped ran as fast as she could, finally coming to a stop in front of Tamaki and the twins. Noticing the commotion, Haruhi approached the scene curiously.

"Help! It's Shun!" the girl exclaimed, pointing to the top of the cliff.

"What happened?" Haruhi asked, her worry beginning to increase.

"These men were bothering us, so Shun went in to stop them! Please, help!" the girl pleaded desperately. The bucket of shellfish in Haruhi's hands fell to the ground as she began running.

Tamaki reached out after her. "Haruhi, wait!"

Ignoring Tamaki's calls, Haruhi continued dashing towards the cliff. However, before she could even begin climbing it, Hikaru raced past her, running up the cliff as fast as he could.

Shun scrabbled furiously at the hands that closed around her throat. In one last act of retaliation, she swiftly punched the thug that held her in the face. She couldn't help the feeling of satisfaction as a few of his teeth fell to the ground. Unfortunately, her victory was short-lived as he dug his thumb into her windpipe. Slowly, the man advanced towards the overhang's edge, suspending Shun above the waves crashing into the base of the cliff.

"What are you gonna do now, _loser?_ " the man growled, pushing Shun forward. She could only cough and gasp in response as his grip tightened around her neck. "I got an idea, kid. How'd you like to take a dip?"

Shun lifted her fist shakily in a desperate attempt at defense, but before she could move, a voice called out to her.

"Shun!"

 _What?_ Lifting her chin slightly, Shun's eyes widened as she recognized the figure running towards her. With the breath that she had left, Shun called out to him weakly. "Hi... karu..."

Her call went unnoticed as the thug dropped her off of the rock face.

" ** _Shun!_** " Without a second thought, Hikaru dove over the cliff after her.

* * *

Shun winced as her body hit the water with a sickening crack. As she attempted to swim upwards, a shooting pain pierced her right shoulder, rendering her unable to move without an ache throbbing in her upper arm. She slowly sank deeper into the ocean, the dregs of unconsciousness pulling at her mind. However, before she completely slipped away, she thought she could feel something tugging her gently.

* * *

"Shun, wake up!" Haruhi said as she shook Shun's shoulders desperately. Hikaru stood next to her, watching Shun's motionless form with an anxious expression. Suddenly, Shun's body jerked, and she hacked saltwater onto the sand beneath her. Haruhi pat her back silently until all the water had left Shun's throat. After her coughing fit died down, Hikaru held out a hand to Shun.

Shun waved at Hikaru's outstretched hand dismissively. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." As soon as she stood up and began to turn away, Hikaru grabbed her wrist and twisted her around until she was facing him.

"You're not fine!" he growled angrily. "You were coughing up water just minutes ago! You would have drowned if I hadn't saved you!"

Shun scowled and attempted to tug her wrist free from Hikaru's grasp, but he held her firmly. "Let go of me!"

"That's all you have to say after I just _saved your life?_ " Hikaru's grip unintentionally tightened. "What were you thinking, going after those guys? You may be strong, but you still have weaknesses! Try thinking before you act instead of being selfish and endangering your well-being!"

At that, Shun glared fiercely at Hikaru. " _Selfish?!_ I was trying to protect those girls! I didn't do anything wrong, so why are you calling me sel—"

" _Because you never think about how your actions affect other people!_ " Hikaru shouted.

Shun went silent. Then, gritting her teeth, she ripped her arm from Hikaru's hold and began walking towards the resort house, leaving him to glare at her retreating back.

* * *

 **Back at the hotel...**

* * *

Shun laid flat on her bed, her legs hanging over the side as she furiously mashed buttons on her handheld game. She had changed into a sailor-collared t-shirt and dark blue shorts to match while waiting for Haruhi to leave the shower.

After a few minutes, the door to the bathroom opened, accompanied by steam drifting from the doorway. Haruhi emerged from it, wearing a sleeveless pink dress that Shun faintly recognized. As Haruhi began toweling her hair dry, she sat down next to Shun, who barely acknowledged her movement.

"You know that he's right," Haruhi said. Shun didn't respond as she clicked the buttons on her game.

Haruhi sighed. "Being mad at him won't change anything." At the sound of knocking on the door, Haruhi stood up. "At least thank him for saving you," she said, her back turned to Shun.

As the door closed, Shun dropped her hands into her lap and stared out the window for a moment, observing the dark clouds forming. Then, as if in a hurry, she sat up, tossed her gameboy on the bed, and darted out of the suite.

Despite Hikaru's anger, Kaoru was still hopeful that Shun would come to the dining room. His expectation was that once she confronted Hikaru, he would realize his mistake and they would both apologize to each other. However, one thing that Kaoru didn't know was that Shun was an _incredibly_ stubborn person.

When the dining room's doors opened to reveal Shun, Kaoru's face lit up slightly, and even Hikaru lifted his gaze to look at her. But, instead of sitting with the rest of the hosts, Shun continued walking until she reached the very end of the dinner table before finally sitting down—all the while not even glancing at Hikaru.

All of the hosts turned to stare at Shun, her deadpan expression making them all shift uncomfortably in their seats. Haruhi sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Let's dig in, guys..." Honey said in an attempt to brighten the mood. As everyone began eating, Shun didn't even move a muscle, and Hikaru poked at the crab leg on his plate.

"Shun, aren't you hungry?" Haruhi asked tentatively. Shun stayed silent, her stoic expression as unyielding as ever.

After a few horribly awkward minutes, Hikaru couldn't bite his tongue any longer. "Just eat something, already!" he snapped, glaring at Shun.

At his outburst, Shun merely glanced at Hikaru and huffed. Then, she rose up from her seat and walked towards the dining room's exit. Hikaru banged his hands on the table as he stood. He immediately followed after her, the doors slamming violently behind the both of them.


	15. An Immovable Object Finally Budges!

**Gosh, this took me a while to write! Sorry if it doesn't really flow well, I've been a little off my game recently when it came to writing.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **An Immovable Object Finally Budges!**

* * *

 _Thunder clapped outside, rattling the house slightly. A young girl laid on her stomach on the floor, swaying her legs back and forth to the tune she was humming as she scribbled in her coloring book with a blue crayon. She was home alone again, waiting patiently for her parents to return from work._

 _Suddenly, the lightbulb above her head flickered and burnt out, every other electrical appliance following soon after. The girl sighed and closed her book, placing it on the coffee table next to her. Then, she walked to her room, her socks padding against the floor softly. After brushing her teeth and putting on her pajamas, she snuggled under her comforter and opened the music box on her nightstand. Soon, the young girl fell asleep to its gentle lullaby._

 _Only minutes after the tune had ended, an incessant clicking sound could be heard from the hallway. The girl's eyes opened slowly at the noise. She could hear the door swing open, and—thinking it was her father and mother coming home—she smiled excitedly. However, the footsteps that she heard soon after were not any that she recognized. They weren't strong and imposing, nor were they soft and graceful. These footsteps dragged along the ground, scraping the carpet roughly._

 _The young girl gasped as the steps neared her bedroom door. At the noise, the steps paused. Then, the doorknob began to turn slowly. The girl immediately dove under her bed, scooting to the side until her arm hit the wall. Her body trembled with fear as a pair of boots turned to face her bedside._

 _Suddenly, an arm whipped under the bed and yanked on the girl's hair, pulling her up and suspending her in the air. The girl pinched her eyes shut as she kicked and flailed, but to no avail. Her nose wrinkled as the smell of the person's sour breath puffed into her face. She screamed and cried as the intruder flicked out a switchblade and held it to her throat._

 _"_ ** _Who's there?!_** _"_

 _The girl winced as she hit the ground, released from the person's grip. When she sat up and turned around, no one was there. Then, seeing her father standing in the doorway, she crawled over to him quickly, hugging his knees and crying her eyes out. Her father knelt down and took her into his arms, rubbing her back gently as he stared out the open window of her bedroom._

* * *

Shun stormed into the hallway, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Behind her, Hikaru followed relentlessly until he finally caught up with her. His hand latched onto her shoulder, swiveling her around to face him. Even then, Shun still refused to look at his face, her gaze instead fixed on the carpet beneath her feet.

"What's your problem?!" Hikaru snapped.

Shun swatted his hand off of her shoulder angrily. "Oh, does it seem like I have a problem with you?" she quipped sarcastically. "Funny, I thought you would have figured it out by now—considering you seem to know everything else about me!"

"What are you even talking about? I saved your life! Why are you getting angry at me—"

Shun roughly shoved him away. " _That's not the point, you idiot!_ " Then, gritting her teeth, Shun took off in the opposite direction.

"What the—!" Hikaru, momentarily stunned by her abrupt actions, snapped out of his surprise and began chasing after her. He followed her down a corridor lined with suites, a golden number ranging from 20 to 30 on each door. Seeing her dart into suite 23, he raced up to it, but she slammed the door closed before he could enter. Grabbing the handle, he jiggled it furiously before banging his fist on the door. "Open up!"

"No!"

Shun kicked at her suitcase in frustration, mumbling obscenities under her breath irately. After tiring herself out, she collapsed on her bed and threw the covers over herself. Then, deeming that it was too hot under the blankets, she kicked them off childishly and stood up once again, this time deciding to sit in the corner and grumble. She could hear the incessant jiggling of the door handle stop, accompanied by quick footsteps that faded as they left the vicinity. Shun pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her arms on top of them, scowling bitterly.

After stewing by herself for a few minutes, Shun finally stood up and began to make her way over to the door. However, just as she passed by her bed, the lights cut out, enveloping the entire suite in pitch-black darkness.

* * *

Hikaru, who had just made it back to the dining room, groaned in irritation as the lights went out, his annoyance from earlier still smoldering. After Kyouya had lit one of the candles that stood on the dining table, Haruhi noticed that Hikaru had returned alone.

"Hey, Hikaru, where's Shun?" she asked.

Hikaru scoffed. "She locked herself in her room—how dumb is that? Whatever, she can stay in there for the whole trip for all I care."

At his comment, Kaoru peered at Hikaru apprehensively.

Haruhi's chair screeched as she stood up quickly. "She's in there _alone?_ " she pressed, her worry beginning to surface.

Hikaru's irritated expression melted away immediately at Haruhi's anxious tone, replaced by a slightly confused one. "Yeah," he said unsurely, "but it's not like it matters, though, right?"

At his response, Haruhi hurriedly began searching for a flashlight. After Kyouya calmly handed her one, she turned to Hikaru with an angry expression. "You can't leave Shun alone in dark places, Hikaru! It scares her more than anything!"

Hikaru's eyes widened. "How was I supposed to know that?" he cried indignantly.

"It's basic common sense that nobody should be left alone in the dark, and _especially_ not her!" Haruhi flicked the switch on the flashlight and left the dining room, followed by Hikaru and the rest of the hosts (for some reason).

Just as they reached suite 23, a clap of thunder rattled the walls. Haruhi froze, the flashlight in her hand clattering to the ground.

Tamaki turned to Haruhi curiously at her abrupt stop. "Haruhi? What's wrong?"

Another roll of thunder rumbled, causing Haruhi to yelp in fear. Immediately, Tamaki kneeled down to comfort her. Meanwhile, Hikaru and Kaoru were both attempting to force open the door, Hikaru practically breaking the doorknob and Kaoru pushing his shoulder against the wooden barrier.

After a minute of unsuccessful attempts at opening the door, Kaoru turned to the hosts who were not occupied. "Do you think we can pick the lock?" he suggested.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Kyouya answered calmly. "These locks are electric, so as long as the power is out, the door won't budge."

Hikaru hit his fist against the door in frustration. "Damn!" Then, he cupped his hands around his mouth and placed them against the door. "Shun, are you alright?"

* * *

Shun jumped as darkness suddenly enveloped her. Her breathing began to grow ragged as her heartbeat sped up to an almost impossible rate. She fell to the ground, scrabbling around frantically for something, _anything_ to hold on to. To her, every boom of thunder was that man's heavy footsteps, every gust of wind the cold blade that was pressed to her throat so many years ago.

Crawling mindlessly around the suite, Shun eventually found purchase on the door. She reached up and wrangled the doorknob, whipping her head back and forth as if something were approaching her from behind. At a particularly loud clap of thunder, Shun yelped and began banging her hands on the door in desperation.

"Help me! Get me out of here! _Please,_ ** _help!_** " She yelled in panic. If a response had come, she couldn't tell, so she sunk to the floor and curled up into a trembling ball, whimpering pitifully.

* * *

The hosts waited outside of the door for a response. However, what they heard was something they never wanted to listen to again.

"Help me! Get me out of here! _Please,_ ** _help!_** "

Shun, normally strong and unbreakable, was now yelling in panic, her voice broken and unstable. It seemed to be the final nail in the coffin, determining that there was nothing they could do.

Hikaru and Kaoru, however, were still determined. "Shun, hang in there!" they shouted.

"I'm calling maintenance right now," Kyouya stated as he swiftly pressed the buttons on his phone.

"Hurry!" the twins' voices rang out amongst the chaos. The scene was in complete disarray—Haruhi was shaking like a leaf as Tamaki desperately attempted to comfort her, the twins were once again trying to break down the door, Kyouya was growling in frustration at his mobile phone, and Honey was blubbering incoherently, completely distraught by the entire situation.

Suddenly, a low voice broke out. "Let me help," Mori said, his expression the most calm out of everybody. As he slowly approached the door, Hikaru and Kaoru parted to give him space. Then, Mori braced himself, moving his legs apart a bit and holding his arms up in an offensive stance.

 **THWACK!**

The door fell forward, split into two distinct pieces by a large crack. Before anyone could react to the fact that _Mori just broke a door in half with sheer force alone_ , Shun darted out from the dark pit beyond the former obstacle and latched onto the closest things to her—they happened to be Hikaru's legs. The force of Shun launching herself at him caused Hikaru to wobble, but he managed to keep his balance, instead gazing at Shun with a shocked expression. She had a death grip on his legs as she stared fearfully into the room she had just escaped from, her breath coming out in raspy, dry pants.

Slowly, Hikaru knelt down, letting Shun slump into his arms tiredly as he rubbed her back involuntarily, staring at the lightning that flashed by the window's translucent panes. The fabric of his shirt bunched up tightly in Shun's hands as she burrowed her face into his chest, her trembling finally coming to a halt.

Kaoru watched silently, a small smile on his face. "I guess the spell is wearing off faster than I thought..."

Kyouya, having heard Kaoru's comment, turned to face him with an inquisitive expression. "What was that?"

Kaoru chuckled dismissively. "Nothing, just thinking out loud."

* * *

 **The next morning...**

* * *

Mori walked to the car, carrying a sleeping Shun in one arm and a suitcase in the other. After the previous night's events, she conked out immediately and had slept for at least nine straight hours.

After everything and everyone was piled into the car, the driver took off. The car jostled a bit at every road bump, causing Shun to move in her sleep and lean against Haruhi's shoulder as the latter read a book. All of the hosts turned to stare at the adorably domestic picture, although Tamaki and the twins seemed to be the most avid watchers.

"My little girls are so cute!" Tamaki whispered excitedly, practically using all of his self-control to prevent himself from shrieking in joy.

Sneakily, the twins both pulled out their phones, snapping a photo almost instantly. When Tamaki glared at them, they both shrugged their shoulders. "You never know when we'll get another chance."

At that, Tamaki began throttling the both of them, muttering 'You creeps!' and 'How dare you!' as he did. Unfortunately, the noise caused Shun to wake up. Grumpy from her nap and irritated from the racket, Shun plucked the phones from between the three and chucked them into the back of the car. Then, she curled up against Haruhi again and went back to sleep.


	16. A Challenge From Lobelia Girls' Academy!

**My apologies if the wait was long for this chapter! Also, I can't believe I have 53 follows! Thank you so much!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **A Challenge From Lobelia Girls' Academy!**

* * *

Shun sat at her desk patiently after class ended, reading a book as she waited for Haruhi to put her notes away. Meanwhile, two girls approached Haruhi and began to chat animatedly with her.

"Really? All the afternoon classes have been cancelled?" Haruhi asked.

"You mean no one told you?"

"It's going to be crazy around here for the next two days!"

Shun visibly wilted after hearing the girl's comment. _Great, just what I wanted—more noise._

"Ouran is hosting an exposition for the cultural clubs. Drama and choir clubs from a bunch of other schools have been invited!"

"It's a big event that the school hosts annually!"

Losing interest in her reading, Shun sighed as she closed her book and leaned on her hand. _I guess I'll never find any peace around here. It could be worse, though—at least those twins aren't bothering me—_

"Shun, Haruhi, go buy us some more instant coffee," the twins ordered, abruptly ending Shun's thoughts.

Haruhi's shoulders sagged. "Why do we have to go get it?" she grumbled.

"'Cause you two are the only commoners! No one else knows where to buy it!" Hikaru explained.

"We've even begun serving it to our guests lately! And besides, it's part of your job!" Kaoru added cheerily with an encouraging pat on both of the girls' shoulders.

Shun scoffed as she stood up, carelessly throwing her schoolbag over her shoulder. "I'm not your servant," she said in irritation. When the twins attempted to object, she shot them a fierce glare, causing their voices to shrink back into their throats. "I'll see you at the club later, Haruhi!" Shun called behind with a simple wave of her hand.

As Shun neared the classroom doors, a girl that she recognized as one of her classmates stopped her. "Um, sorry to bother you like this, but..." the girl started.

Shun lifted an eyebrow curiously. "What is it?" she asked.

"I just wanted to thank you!" the girl chirped.

"For what?"

The girl's eyes grew soft. "Well, the twins weren't always this friendly. Back in middle school, they were very quiet and withdrawn, and they never really talked to anyone. It was as if they didn't want anyone to get close."

Shun observed the twins out of the corner of her eye as they laughed lively at something a fellow pupil had said. "Really..."

"But ever since the host club was formed, they've started to come out of their shells! And they've especially changed since you and Haruhi came!" The girl smiled at Shun. "Everyone's really happy now! Because of you, the twins are having fun and enjoying each day to the fullest!"

Shun continued to watch the twins as they joked with some other students. "Is that so..."

* * *

 **In the club room...**

* * *

The doors to the club room opened suddenly. As per usual, the host club—who were donning shining suits of armor—acted through their regular routine once again.

"Welcome, ladies!"

The two girls that had entered narrowed their eyes slightly. In an attempt to woo them, Tamaki stepped forward, holding his sword out in front of him.

"Well, well, well, I see you ladies are from another school. I certainly hope we haven't startled you," Tamaki said, his gaze holding a prince-like softness. "We love first-time guests."

The girls continued to stare back with unreadable expressions.

"I'm glad you've come, princesses." Kneeling down before them, Tamaki went on with his romantic spiel. "My darlings, even if the world were to be destroyed, I'd put my life on the line as your faithful knight and servant. I will protect you."

Shun sighed at the final line. "Oh, brother..." she muttered under her breath.

One of the girls turned her head and smirked, her long, flaxen hair swaying as she did. "Oh, my, do you really think you'd be able to protect us? That's awfully arrogant of you, wouldn't you agree?" She chuckled. "You think _that's_ what a woman wants to hear—well, you're wrong."

Tamaki lifted his head at her accusations, a surprised expression replacing the softness that he wore before.

"Come on, give him a break, Sister Suzuran," the other girl said. "Men are just lowly lifeforms who don't care about anything but them perpetuating their testosterone-laden image. By 'protecting' us, he's actually attempting to disguise the fact that he's weak and unable of even protecting himself."

Shun quirked an eyebrow in amusement as she watched Tamaki's expression fall with each jab from the girl.

"You're such a clever girl, Hinagiku," the taller girl—Suzuran—said.

Rising up from his position on the floor, Tamaki bumped his sword against the shoulder plate of his armor. "Don't you think that's a little harsh?" He waved his hand. "Fine, then, what do women like you want to hear?"

"Maybe something like, 'I would never leave my lover alone,'" a strange voice suddenly interrupted.

The host club members all turned to the door to see another girl wearing the same uniform as the others. In her arms was Haruhi, who looked on with a completely confused expression.

"If we fight, it'll be together!" The girl swung Haruhi around dramatically as she spoke. "If we fail, we fail together!" She then knelt down and took Haruhi's hand gently. "Even if I were to die, I promise you that I will never leave your side, my love." At the deliverance of the last line, the girl kissed Haruhi's hand lightly.

The hosts all gawked at the scene, completely flabbergasted. Meanwhile, Shun covered her smile as her chuckles morphed into full laughter, her armor clinking in response.

"Benibara, we thought you'd never show!" the shorter student—Hinagiku—said as she approached Haruhi and the girl—Benibara.

"What are we going to do with you?" Suzuran crossed her arms over her chest. "So, tell us where you found this lovely young lady!"

Benibara stood up and placed her hand on her hip. "I just met her outside of the school. She may be dressed as a boy, but I knew the truth!" She then swung Haruhi off of her feet and dipped her down, rubbing her thumb against the plush of Haruhi's cheek. "She has such pretty, maidenly eyes."

"Uh, thanks, I guess..." Haruhi mumbled.

Suddenly, Benibara stood up straight and peered into the club room, her eyes narrowing. "Wait a moment... there's another one!"

Shun stopped laughing. "Uh-oh," she gulped as she hid behind the twins, yanking their feathered hats down in an attempt to conceal herself.

"You there!" Benibara pointed to where the twins stood, both of whom jumped slightly at the sudden action. She then marched over and pulled Shun out from behind them, jostling her armor slightly.

Dipping her down the same way she had with Haruhi, Benibara gently brushed the bangs out of Shun's eyes and gazed at her lovingly. "I knew it—laughter that is more melodious than the ringing of church bells could only belong to a charmingly beautiful lady such as yourself!"

"Uh..." Shun could only stare back with an uncomfortable expression, but it soon morphed into an incredibly embarrassed one when the two other girls removed the armor plates on her legs and began to stroke her skin fervently.

"Her skin is incredibly soft!"

"Isn't it though?"

Just as Suzuran began rubbing her cheek against Shun's left leg, the said victim hurriedly squeezed herself out of the three girls' holds, losing her balance and falling onto the floor with a metallic clang.

"Y-You can't just start touching people like that all of a sudden!" she stuttered indignantly, all the while attempting to hide her bright red cheeks behind her hands.

Hikaru, seeing that Shun had fallen, quickly went to her side and tried to help her up, but before she could even take his hand, Benibara smacked it away and pulled Shun against her once again.

"Don't touch her! I will not let you fools taint another fair maiden!" Benibara shouted, causing all of the male hosts to flinch back. Standing up, she placed her unoccupied hand on her hip and scoffed at the dumbfounded looks from the men in front of her. "Guess the rumors we heard are true—you guys are just a bunch of weak little punks with no sense between you."

Kyouya, the only one with a calm expression, adjusted his glasses. "Those uniforms—I assume you ladies are from the Lobelia Girls' Academy?"

Benibara nodded in affirmation. "That's correct."

Out of nowhere, the lights cut out, leaving only three spotlights in the center of the room. Benibara, who was now sporting a different outfit, lifted a glittering purple top hat off of her head.

"Lobelia!" she sang with a deep tenor.

"Lobelia!" Suzuran echoed, her alto tone reverberating elegantly.

"Lobelia!" Hinagiku, who trilled with a high soprano, twirled and pointed the lily flower in her hand at Benibara, who tipped her hat in response.

"St. Lobelia Academy, high school 2nd-year, Benio Amakusa," Benio said, her voice slightly muted by the flower she held between her teeth.

"2nd-year student, Chizuru Maihara," the flaxen-haired girl, Suzuran, said as she flapped a fan in front of her face.

"1st-year student, Hinako Tsuwabuki!" Smiling, Hinako waved a white lily in front of her face.

"We are the members of the St. Lobelia Academy's white lily league," Benio said, just as she threw her hat into the air. "Also known as..."

The three Lobelia girls tore off their previous outfits, revealing extravagantly lavish costumes beneath. "THE ZUKA CLUB!" they chorused.

After a long, silent pause, Shun and the twins erupted into hysterics, Hikaru and Kaoru clutching their stomachs while Shun rolled on the floor in stitches.

"Oh, man, what a stupid name!" Hikaru guffawed. "The Zuka Club! My stomach hurts!"

Kaoru snickered loudly. "The Zuka Club! That's priceless!"

Shun banged her fist against the ground as she cackled. "What's with the crazy outfits?! They look like the birds we saw in the Tropical Aqua Garden!"

At that, the three jokers blew up into more laughter, so much so that noise ceased to come out of Shun's throat anymore—just exaggerated wheezing as she lay on the tiled floor.

"You shouldn't underestimate the Zuka Club!" a familiar voice interrupted suddenly, causing the trio's chortles to stop. Once again, a pedestal rose up from the floor with Renge seated atop it, a cup balanced on her palm. "I may not know much about instant coffee, but I'm fascinated with girls' schools." She clasped her hands together and pressed them against her cheek. "St. Lobelia Academy—it is truly a woman's world there! The Zuka Club is a group of strong, young maidens who consider women to be superior in every way."

Shun chuckled, still recovering from earlier. "They must be _really_ open-minded people!" she sniggered, nudging Hikaru's elbow, who joined in her quiet laughter.

Renge ignored the comment. "The club prides itself on its 30 year history. It's a society of maidens, by maidens, for maidens! Zuka Club activities include 'Maiden Tea Parties', the 'Maiden Debate Forum', and most importantly, musical reviews performed by the societies top members!"

"You sure have a vast world of knowledge, Renge," Kyouya remarked.

"Well, I've always admired St. Lobelia's. I just couldn't go to school there, though. What would I do without any boys?" Renge replied as her pedestal began to retreat back into the ground.

"A maiden's beauty... it means possessing a spirit pure enough to not give in to power or to lust," Chizuru elucidated.

"We've had quite enough of all your oppressive male contempt for womenkind!" Hinako said.

Shun yawned, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Man, I need a nap..." she mumbled, losing interest in whatever the Lobelia girls were saying. After she plopped down on the couch, she immediately started drifting off despite the slight pain in her shoulder and the noise of clicking buttons as Hikaru played a video game next to her.

However, before Shun could fully fall asleep, Benio's impending voice jerked her awake.

"The host club's president may be a pretty little halfer, but he shouldn't be using his looks to create a fictitious romance. Attempting to fool the heart of a pure young maiden is demeaning! Your so called club activities are nothing more than debasing, macho fantasies!" Benio boomed, an angry look on her face.

Shun sighed. _I can't even get a second of quiet around here!_ Unfortunately for her, Benio's tirade was not finished.

"I promise you—we will bring you guys down! The Ouran Host Club will be abolished! All hail Zuka Club!"


	17. Lobelia's Determination Is Fruitless!

**This chapter is pretty long, but I figured that it would be better to just have the ending be one chapter instead of split up into two.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Lobelia's Determination Is Fruitless!**

* * *

"I promise you—we will bring you guys down! The Ouran Host Club _will_ be abolished! All hail Zuka Club!"

Kyouya's glasses shimmered as he adjusted them. "I see. I understand your concern, but do you think maybe we can finish this later?"

Benio's eyes narrowed intimidatingly. "Are you saying that you're not going to face us?"

"Not at all," Kyouya replied, gesturing to an ill-appearing Tamaki. "It's just that our president is still bedridden from the initial culture shock."

"You see, Tama-chan is having his nappy-time right now," Honey explained innocently.

" _Wake him up!_ " Benio growled.

Shun flinched at Benio's tone, but she decided to approach her nevertheless. Sighing, Shun bowed her head slightly in an attempt to smooth over the situation.

"I'm sorry if there's a problem," Shun said, "but I think you're being a little too dramatic. If possible, I'd like to avoid any confrontations at all."

Benio's imminent rage simmered immediately at Shun's request, and she took Shun's hand gently, encasing it between her own. "Well, since you're so endearingly polite, we might think about considering it."

As icing on the cake, Haruhi approached the Lobelia girls with three steaming cups of instant coffee. "I made some coffee. Would you ladies like to have some?"

Benio released Shun's hand as she elegantly sashayed towards Haruhi. "Why, yes! Aren't you the sweetest thing!"

"You two are real pearls amongst swine!" Chizuru remarked as she took a sip of coffee.

"You know," Benio commented, "coffee made by a maiden always has a more fragrant aroma."

Shun chuckled slightly. "That stuff's just instant!"

"I know—how about the five of us have a tea party?" Hinako suggested.

Suddenly, Tamaki sprang up from bed and ran towards the girls. "You girls have it all wrong! Don't you see there's nothing to be gained in a romantic relationship between two women? If that were the case, then why did God create Adam and Eve—!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, a conveniently placed banana peel appeared in front of Tamaki's feet, causing him to fall forward and dip his index finger into Hinako's hot coffee.

As Haruhi wrapped medical tape around Tamaki's burnt finger, Shun turned away and began making her way towards the exit. However, before she could leave, Benio reached out and tugged Shun towards her once again, doing the same with Haruhi with her unoccupied hand. She then stood up straight and faced the hosts, a determined expression on her face.

"Now that we know what's going on," Benio said, "we can't allow these maidens to stay here! We'll prepare their paperwork and have them transferred into Lobelia at once, and we'll welcome them into the Zuka Club!"

Haruhi quickly pushed herself out of Benio's hold. "Hey, just wait a second, will you? There seem to have been some misunderstandings here!"

"Yeah, you called Tamaki-senpai a halfer!" Shun pointed out.

"'Cause he is a halfer!" Honey explained. "He's half French and half Japanese!"

Haruhi sighed slightly. "Well, uh, anyway, I don't think it's fair for you to pick on the host club just because you don't think they have the same history as you do!"

"We barely have any history. We were just founded two years ago," Hikaru piped in.

"Yeah, the boss created it whenever he started high school here," Kaoru added.

Shun wilted as she racked her brain for more arguments. "Well, saying the club activities are just to satisfy themselves is plain wrong. We don't even charge the guests anything."

"While I wouldn't call it a charge, we do have a point system," Kyouya said. "We offer priority services based on the winning bids of auctions held on our website." He then typed something into his laptop, pulling up a web page. "Check this out, Haruhi. You're used mechanical pencil just sold with a winning bid of 30,000 yen. And Shun, you're graphing calculator sold for 65,000 yen."

Both Haruhi and Shun gawked at the screen. "What?! But I'd thought I lost that pencil! Why didn't you tell me about this before, Kyouya-senpai?!" Haruhi yelled angrily. "I had no idea you were collecting _money!_ "

Shun slammed her hand down on the table, causing it to rattle. "I failed my math exam because of you! I needed that calculator with me in order to graph equations!"

"You can't sell other people's things without permission—that's _stealing!_ " Haruhi shouted.

"It wasn't stealing," the twins denied, "you dropped those things on the floor."

Shun wheeled around, jabbing her finger in Hikaru's chest accusingly. "I did _not_ drop that calculator on the floor! I always kept it in a pocket inside my bag, which means you _rummaged through my belongings_ to get it, which means you _stole_ it!"

"I didn't rummage through your belongings," Hikaru stated simply. "It was hanging out of a pocket on your bag and I caught it as it fell out."

"Then why didn't you return it?" Shun growled. Hikaru, having no answer, could only gulp and drop his gaze.

"I'm sorry!" Tamaki wailed, tears flooding out of his eyes dramatically. "It's not like we were hiding it from you! Here, Haruhi, you can have my pencil—it's got a cute teddy bear on it!"

"Senpai, I don't want your pencil," Haruhi said blankly.

The three Lobelia girls surrounded Shun and Haruhi as they stewed. "Oh, you poor dears, I can't believe they've been deceiving you two!" Chizuru said, her tone sympathetic.

"Hey, why don't you just dump these losers and come with us?" Hinako suggested.

"Hold on, Hinagiku," Benio said. "These young maidens have had quite a day. We'll give you some time to think about it—"

"That won't be necessary," Shun interrupted. "I came to Ouran for a specific reason, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."

Benio's look of surprise faded, replaced by a knowing smile. "Don't worry. Lobelia's all-girl baseball team is much better equipped, well-funded, and expertly trained. You certainly won't miss anything."

Shun gaped at her. "How did you—?"

Patting Shun's shoulder, Benio gestured dismissively to the other girls. "We'll come back for your answers tomorrow. Well then, _adieu_..."

As the doors shut behind them, both Haruhi and Shun faced the host club with cold expressions, sending a shiver through them.

"We'd better be going," Haruhi said, her voice devoid of any emotion. "We've got some thinking to do." Quickly, Shun picked up both of their schoolbags and stormed out of the room as Haruhi followed, the door slamming behind them.

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

"Come on, Shun!"

Shun huffed, scowling as she rested her chin on her hand. However, when she turned to look at Haruhi, the stern expression she wore finally convinced her. "Fine, I'll go."

As the two girls walked down the hallway on their way to the third music room, they were stopped by an obstacle in their path. Well, more like three obstacles. Benio, Chizuru, and Hinako stood tall, lined up in the hall in such a way that they blocked the path.

"Hi, young maidens," Benio greeted.

"We've come for your decision!" Hinako announced. "Are you prepared to leave?"

"We're ready to confront those Ouran Host Club idiots and set things straight once and for all!" Chizuru said.

"Set what straight?" Haruhi questioned. Benio slid over to her and placed a finger under Haruhi's chin, lifting it up slightly.

"That you should come with us, and go to school with your own kind!" Benio answered, grabbing both Shun and Haruhi and bringing them to the host club's entrance. As Benio and Hinako swung open the doors, they were only greeted by complete darkness.

"What's going on..." Shun mumbled as she peered into the room curiously.

"Ouran!"

Two sopranos rang out amongst the quiet, soon to be followed by four more high-pitched trills (save for one).

"Ouran!" a deep voice rumbled, one that Shun found familiar.

"Ouran!"

"Ouran!"

The lights suddenly switched on, revealing all of the hosts dressed as... women?

"Ouran!" Tamaki stood up, his red dress ruffling as he did.

"Host Club!" they all sang simultaneously. Then, they held their arms out in a hospitable gesture. "Welcomes you!"

Heels clicking on the tiled floor, Tamaki walked forward to where Shun, Haruhi, and the Lobelia girls stood, all completely stunned. "Oh, Haruhi, welcome back!"

Honey twirled over to Shun. "Look, Shu-chan! I'm a princess now! Aren't I cute?"

Benio let out an offended gasp. "What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to make fun of womankind?"

"What? No, that's not it at all! Everything's going according to plan!" Tamaki assured. "Our strategy is guaranteed to make even a crying child smile! It's the Freebie Campaign!" He instantly struck a dramatic pose, along with the other hosts behind him.

The girls all stared with dumbfounded expressions, completely confused with the entire situation. Meanwhile, the corners of Shun's mouth began to twitch ever so slightly.

"My dears, you ladies have all lived sheltered lives at Lobelia, so you might not know that commoners are weak!" Tamaki said, his eyes twinkling with a bit of superiority. "They have a weakness for free things! Haruhi, Shun, you may be distracted by the Zuka Club, but choose us..." Tamaki swept out his hand to bring attention to the other 'women' of the host club, "...and you gain not only a host club full of brothers, but _sisters_ as well!"

Shun and Haruhi stayed silent, their faces unreadable as the 'sisters' began parading themselves around the two.

"See, this way you can experience feminine bonding while staying in the host club!" Tamaki stated proudly, his dress flaring out as he twirled happily. "Isn't that a great idea? Aren't I pretty?"

"We're the Hitachiin sisters!" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused. "Which one of us is prettier?"

Hikaru suddenly leaned in, hiding his face behind a his paper fan. "I'm just teasing you!" At that, Kaoru giggled girlishly.

"Listen, Haru-chan and Shu-chan!" Honey waved his stuffed rabbit in the air to get their attention. "You can call me 'big sis' from now on!"

"Why, you, " Benio growled. "Do you idiots really think you can win them over like this? I've had enough of your fooling around—!"

In that instant, Shun lost her marbles. Both she and Haruhi blew up into hysterics, leaning on each other as they laughed uncontrollably.

"You guys are **_insane!_** " Shun cracked, holding onto Haruhi's shoulder for support while she clutched her stomach. This only caused Haruhi to lose her balance, and they both toppled to the floor, which only made them laugh harder.

"I knew you were a bunch of _goofballs_ , but I didn't think it was this bad!" Haruhi chortled at her own comment and collapsed back onto the floor, where Shun was attempting to regain her breath. However, just as she calmed herself down, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Honey began chasing them around the room, causing both Haruhi and Shun to shriek with laughter.

"Are we really that funny?" they said. "Call me 'big sister'! Come on, do it! Just say it! _Big sister! Say it,_ ** _please!_** "

"Stop it, stop it!" Shun waved her hand in their faces, clutching her stomach desperately as she coughed. "I can't take it anymore!"

"What were you thinking?" Haruhi managed to ask. "What's gotten into you guys?"

Hikaru rested his arms behind his head casually. "We did this because we didn't want you and Shun to leave the host club."

"There's no reason to worry," Shun said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I already knew I wasn't going to leave, and I'm sure Haruhi made up her mind a long time ago."

Tears of joy flowed down Tamaki's cheeks, and it seemed the rest of the host club let out a collective sigh of relief.

"We're not going to give up on you maidens," Benio said as she raised her fist determinedly. "I swear this to you: someday, we'll come and rescue you from this place! And when we do, we'll abolish the Ouran Host Club!" She then waved gently at Shun and Haruhi. "Well then, _adieu..._ "

As they twirled through the hallway, their legs suddenly swung out from under them due to more conveniently placed banana peels.

Shun rubbed her forehead. "What a day..."

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

Hikaru looked around the room awkwardly. He had been standing next to Shun's desk for at least five minutes, and she still hadn't noticed, her nose buried in her math notes. However, after he cleared his throat, Shun finally lifted her head up.

"Oh, hey, Hikaru," she greeted simply before turning back to look at her notes. Just as she found the spot where she had left off, a rectangular object obstructed her view, placed right in the middle of her notes. Her eyes suddenly lit up in recognition, her head whipping up to look at Hikaru in shock. "My calculator...!"

Hikaru scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I, uh, bought it back for you."

Shun stared up at him in silence for a moment, much to his frustration. Then, out of nowhere, her face broke out into a rare, genuine smile. "Thanks! That's really nice of you!"

Hikaru, momentarily caught off guard by Shun's smile, shrugged casually. "It was nothing, really. It wasn't nearly as expensive as the things I usually buy."

In an instant, the smile disappeared, and Shun transformed back into her usual indifferent self. "Is that so..." she muttered, turning back to her notes quietly.

In the background, Kaoru sighed exasperatedly. _Hikaru, why do you have to be such a dummy sometimes?_

* * *

 **Agh, rushed ending is rushed. At least we can look forward to the 'A Day In The Life Of The Fujioka Family!' chapters!**


	18. A Day In The Life Of The Fujioka Family!

**Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **A Day In The Life Of The Fujioka Family!**

* * *

 **CRACK!**

"Not enough!"

 **CRACK!**

" _Not good enough!_ "

 **CRACK!**

" ** _It's not good enough!_** "

 **CRACK!**

A metal bat clanged to the ground, its shape deformed by numerous dents. Countless baseballs were littered nearby, their yellowed skin peeling from age. Shun knelt down, rubbing her forehead as pearls of sweat dripped off of her chin. _What's going on with me?_ Gritting her teeth in frustration, she ran a hand through her hair. _I can't practice like this._

After resting for a few minutes, Shun finally straightened up. As she did, a sharp pang surged through her shoulder. She bent down to rummage through her bag, her hand pulling out a small bottle of painkillers. Rattling it next to her ear, she sighed at the soft clacking sound it made. _Almost empty._ She popped the cap off and shook the open bottle over her hand, one lone pill falling into her palm. She quickly popped it in her mouth, shoved her malformed bat into her duffel bag, and jogged away from the park.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

* * *

Haruhi sighed happily as she walked, two bags stuffed with groceries in her hands. _That was some sale! There's no better time to hit the supermarket than on a Sunday morning. Now all I've gotta do when I get home is clean and do some laundry!_

Noticing the commotion near her apartment building, Haruhi peered into the crowd with curiosity. As soon as she saw the host club appear, she knocked her head against a nearby electric pole with a pitiful groan, the two plastic bags she held slipping through her fingers. _There goes my peace and quiet._

* * *

 **A few minutes later...**

* * *

As the hosts settled themselves around the small table in the living room, Haruhi entered with a tray of cups.

"Okay, guys, the tea's ready," she said as she placed cups in front of the seated hosts. "I'm sorry that not all of the cups match."

Honey pulled out a blue box and opened it giddily, revealing several appetizing pastries. "Come on, Haru-chan, you can choose your cake first!"

Haruhi looked at Honey hesitantly. "Well, shouldn't we wait for Shun before we start eating?" Just as the words left her mouth, Haruhi regretted them instantly. _I shouldn't have let that slip. Now they're gonna bother her, too._

"Speaking of, where is Shun?" Hikaru asked. "She _is_ living with you, right?"

Haruhi sighed. _Well, there's no turning back now._ "She went to the park to practice for a game that's coming up soon. She left about an hour ago, so she should be back any minute—"

Before Haruhi could finish her sentence, the door flew open, revealing a disgruntled Shun whose face was red from either exertion or anger. "What the hell are you guys doing here?" she growled.

Tamaki, along with the twins, ignored her obvious disdain and approached her with open arms. "Shun's here!" they chirped happily.

Shun roughly shoved past them and stormed into her and Haruhi's shared room, slamming the door behind her. Everyone in the living room jumped, shifting anxiously in their seats after a few minutes had passed and Shun still failed to make an appearance.

Finally, she emerged, wearing a plain, white t-shirt with rolled up sleeves and a pair of jean shorts. She silently plonked herself between Haruhi and Mori and pointed at the chocolate mousse cake in the pastry box.

Honey smiled brightly as he handed Shun a slice of cake on a plate. "You like chocolate, too? That means I can share my favorite sweets with you, Shu-chan!"

At that, Shun perked up, her eyes lighting up childishly. "Really?" she asked, to which Honey answered with an enthusiastic nod. He then turned to ask Haruhi which cake she wanted, and she politely requested the strawberry shortcake.

As Honey began chatting enthusiastically with Haruhi and Shun, Tamaki and the twins leaned forward on the table. " _She's so cute!_ " (They may have been talking about different people, but the sentiment was certainly shared.)

"Hey, Haruhi, can I have one of your strawberries?" Shun asked. Just as Haruhi started scraping one of the fruits off of the tower of whipped cream on her cake, Mori began placing his toppings on Shun's plate.

"You can have mine," he said to Shun.

Shun grinned at Mori. "Thanks, Mori-senpai!"

Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru banged their fists on the ground in comical anguish, exclaims of 'Why didn't we think of that?' echoing amongst them.

In mere seconds, the cakes were devoured, and Honey sighed in contentment. "Eating all that cake sure wet my appetite!"

"Yeah, isn't it lunchtime about now?" Hikaru remarked.

"Well then, what's for lunch?" Tamaki and the twins asked simultaneously, tilting their heads to the side.

"You guys came out of nowhere, so we haven't prepared anything yet," Shun griped, folding her arms across her chest.

Kyouya stood up. "We'll take care of it," he said as he pulled his wallet out. "We did drop in unexpectedly, so we'll pay for lunch. Why don't you just order us all some of your favorite sushi?"

Shun waved her hand dismissively. "Thanks, but I'd rather not have to owe you anything."

Kyouya's glasses gleamed as he whisked out a gold credit card. "Oh, don't worry, Shun. We'll just pay for it using the profits from the photos of you and Haruhi we auctioned off."

 _So we're paying for it anyway_ , Shun thought.

"Well, if that's what you guys want, I do have a friend who runs a nice little sushi shop nearby, so I can just give him a call," Haruhi suggested.

"They're closed today, Haruhi," Shun reminded her with a sigh.

"I'd really love it if you'd make something for lunch!" Honey chirped.

Shun held her chin in her hand thoughtfully and turned to Haruhi. "We could just make something simple."

"Yeah, but we're gonna have to go to the supermarket again," Haruhi pointed out.

Hikaru and Kaoru sprang up from the floor quickly. "We're coming with you!" Hikaru announced.

"We want to see a commoner's supermarket!" Kaoru said.

"Me too, me too!"

"This could be a learning experience."

Shun exhaled tiredly as the twins ran past her, chanting a mantra of 'Commoner's supermarket!' while the others followed behind. Just as she began hopping down the steps after them, she heard a familiarly feminine voice call out to her.

"Shun, look who's back!"

Shun smiled slightly and waved her hand in greeting. "Oh, hey, Uncle—"

Before Shun could react, Ranka's hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her towards him, squishing her against his body affectionately.

"I told you not to hug me!" Shun yelled. After what seemed like an eternity, Ranka finally released her, and her chest heaved with a sigh of relief.

"I can't help it, you and Haruhi are too cute to resist!" Ranka exclaimed. "By the way, is Haruhi with you?"

Shun nodded her head back and forth. "No, she's still inside."

"Well, I guess I'll go say hi!" Ranka spun around flamboyantly, leaving Shun with a pat on the head as he continued on his way. Shun followed behind, curious as to what was taking Haruhi so long. Unfortunately, it seemed that they had the worst timing.

Shun sighed disappointedly once she laid eyes on the scene. From anyone else's perspective, it looked like Tamaki was forcefully pinning down Haruhi, which was the worst thing that Ranka could form his first impression of Tamaki on. Ranka's unpleasantly surprised expression morphed into a sweet smile as he calmly walked over to Haruhi and threw Tamaki against the wall with an alarming amount of force.

"I'm sorry, I hated having to leave you and Shun alone last night. You must have been lonely!" Ranka said, as if nothing had happened at all.

Haruhi gawked at the Tamaki-shaped dent in the wall. "That sound... he hit really hard!"

The twins peeked over Shun's head, resting their elbows against the doorway. "Hey, boss, what in the world is taking you so long?" Hikaru asked.

"Woah, check it out—that person we passed downstairs was Haruhi's father!"

Tamaki lunged forward desperately. "Hikaru, Kaoru, Shun, help me out here!"

Before Shun could say anything, Hikaru and Kaoru approached Ranka with their hands outstretched, trampling Tamaki's body in the process. "It's nice to meet you! We're the Hitachiin brothers! We're good friends of Haruhi and Shun!" they introduced themselves cheerfully, contrasting Tamaki's grunts of pain as they walked overtop him.

"So, you're a transvestite, aren't you?" Hikaru said.

"You're the first _real_ transvestite we've ever seen!" Kaoru remarked.

"You finally put the moves on Haruhi, huh, boss?" they said off to the side, before turning back to Ranka with lighthearted smiles.

"Sorry about him, he's a lady's man—if you know what I mean," Hikaru apologized.

"He's a pheromone machine! In fact, I'll bet he's fooled around with more ladies than you can count!" Kaoru chirped.

Ranka's eyebrow rose. "He likes to fool around, huh?" he growled.

Tamaki stood up quickly, whirling around to face Ranka. "No! I'm not a lady's man! I'm a nice guy! I care about her!" he cried desperately.

Shun buried her face in her hands, embarrassed for Tamaki. _I can't even watch._

"I'm being completely honest here," Tamaki said. "I care about Haruhi like she's my own daughter!"

"What an idiot," Shun muttered as her shoulders sagged.

* * *

 **A few minutes later...**

* * *

"I get it—you must be the host club I've heard so much about!" Ranka affirmed. "You certainly are a fine-looking bunch of young men! I'm not sure which of you I like best!" He then pointed to himself, a jovial smile on his face. "I tell you what, why don't you boys go ahead and call me Ranka? That's the professional name I use at the transvestite bar I work at!"

"Professional name—you mean like a stage name?" Honey asked.

"Exactly like that, Mitsukuni!" Ranka nodded.

Honey's eyes widened in surprise. "Hold on, how did you know my name, sir?"

Ranka pointed to Honey and Mori. "You two are third years Mitsukuni Haninozuka and Takashi Morinozuka!" He then turned to Hikaru and Kaoru. "And the two of you are first years in the same class as Haruhi and Shun—you're the Hitachiin twins! But I'm not sure which one of you is which!" Ranka smiled at all of them. "I've heard a lot about you!"

Hikaru briefly glanced at Shun out of the corner of his eye as she sipped her tea peacefully. "Shun and Haruhi told you about us?"

"No, Kyouya told me about you two over the phone!" Ranka answered.

Shun nearly spat out her tea. " ** _What?!_** "

" _Kyouya_..." Tamaki said warningly, placing a hand on the Shadow King's shoulder.

"We've been entrusted with the care of his precious family—it is only natural that we introduce ourselves and give him periodic reports. Ordinarily, that would be _your_ job, wouldn't it?" Kyouya said.

Haruhi stood up abruptly. "You never mentioned this to me, dad! Why didn't you say that you've been getting calls from Kyouya-senpai?"

"What am I supposed to do, Haruhi? You and Shun rarely tell me anything about school!" Ranka whined.

"That doesn't make it okay to talk behind our backs!" Shun cried angrily.

Ranka's voice turned serious for a moment. "The thing about you two is," Ranka suddenly dove towards Haruhi and Shun, "you're cute even when you're angry!" He laughed as he snuggled the two girls in his arms, the rest of the hosts looking on with blank expressions.

Shun squirmed her way out of Ranka's hold, tugging Haruhi up with her. Dusting herself off, she grabbed her wallet and stuffed it into her back pocket.

"Wait, girls, where are you going?" Ranka asked.

"The supermarket," Shun grumbled. "We have to go shopping, and it would be better if nobody else bothered us!"

After the door shut behind them, Ranka sighed. "Oh, those two—always so strong-willed. While I respect their independent spirits, I wish they'd be a little more dependent on the people who care about them." His eyes grew gentle, his tone becoming softer. "I hope you boys know how grateful I am. Since Haruhi's found you, she seems to be happier. She's enjoying herself. But, to be honest, I think the real growth comes from Shun."

The hosts all looked mildly curious. "What do you mean?" Hikaru asked.

Ranka flipped his hair with a tired sigh. "Well, when Shun was younger, she had this absurd idea that she wasn't allowed to fool around or have fun—I'm sure it had something to do with how hard her parents were working in order to support her interest in baseball. She never smiled, and I can't even remember the last time I heard her laugh. But now, I hear her joking around with Haruhi, and grinning at me when I come home. I think that, because of you, she's forgotten that ridiculously strict policy of hers. I'm sure that Akio is also incredibly grateful to you."

"Who's Akio?" the twins wondered aloud.

Ignoring the question, Ranka smirked at the hosts. "Now that we've gotten all the introductions out of the way, how would you boys like to have a little fun?"


	19. Stew, Flowers, And A Protective Father!

**My writer's block was particularly bad when I wrote this, but I didn't want to keep anyone waiting any longer, so I apologize!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Stew, Flowers, And A Protective Father!**

* * *

"Are you sure they'll be okay by themselves?"

Shun smirked at Haruhi's question as they walked down the street together. "What, are you worried about Tamaki?"

Haruhi huffed and pushed Shun's shoulder lightly, who snickered in response. "I just can't help but think of what trouble those guys will get into."

"Kyouya will keep 'em in line," Shun joked.

The mention of the Shadow King's name brought a sigh from Haruhi's lips. "I still can't believe he's been calling my dad and giving him updates..."

"You know your dad's just worried about you, Haruhi. You're too independent for your own good!"

Haruhi's face lit up in remembrance. "By the way, are you going back to Shinjuku to visit your parents? Y'know, since your game is coming up soon?"

Shun scratched the back of her head. "Well, since we have a day off, I was thinking of going tomorrow. Do you wanna come with?"

Haruhi smiled. "Sure! It'll be nice to see them again."

"Yeah," Shun agreed, her eyes soft as she and Haruhi walked next to each other peacefully. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched from behind an electric pole by a strange group of seven.

* * *

"So, we're going to follow them to the supermarket?" the twins whispered.

"This is what you meant by 'fun'?" Kyouya asked dryly, not the least bit amused by the entire situation.

Nodding, Ranka tugged his scarf up over his mouth. "Yes, I call it 'The Stalking Game'!"

Despite Ranka's attempts at being discreet (i.e. the scarf, sunglasses, and trench coat), the ragtag group managed to garner the attention of nearly every person who passed by. Then again, what could one expect when hanging around a group of exceptionally handsome young men?

"In all honesty," Ranka said as he pulled down his sunglasses, "I have a completely selfish reason for bringing you all out with me. I want to be seen with a bunch of cute boys!"

The twins sighed. "Sure enough, those two are definitely cut from the same cloth," they quipped.

* * *

 **A few minutes later...**

* * *

The hosts sneaked into the supermarket silently, somehow managing to avoid their two targets' gazes completely. Hiding behind one of the many shelves that lined the store, they all watched as Shun and Haruhi milled around the fresh produce aisle. Honey, in all his excitement, nearly ran in front of Haruhi, but he was pulled away by Mori at the last second.

Tamaki observed Haruhi as she picked up a package of green onion and showed it to Shun, who nodded approvingly and placed it into the basket that was balanced on her hip. "Do you really think we need to follow them around like this?" he asked, turning to Ranka.

"I can't help but worry about them all of the time. Even though Haruhi and Shun have each other to rely on, there's no telling when they'll need my help." Sighing, Ranka placed his hands on his cheeks. "Maybe I'm just being overprotective."

The twins suddenly appeared behind Ranka, who had moved to hide behind a large mountain of instant ramen packets. "By the way, we've been meaning to ask," Kaoru said.

"What's the relation between you and Shun, anyway?" Hikaru finished.

Ranka tapped his chin in thought. "It's a little difficult to explain," he said. "Her father and I have been best friends since high school. Shun and Haruhi were practically raised together, so they're about as close as sisters." Ranka smiled fondly at the memory. "Even though they have no blood relation, those girls still insist that they are family. I think that their bond is even stronger than the one between Shun's father and I."

All of the hosts were quiet, their eyes wide as they listened intently to Ranka's speech. After a minute or so of silence due to processing everything Ranka had said, they finally began to react.

"Wow, we never knew that!" the twins remarked.

"Shu-chan and Haru-chan are about as close as you and me, Takashi!"

"Yeah."

Tamaki held his chin in thought. "I'm still curious, though. Who is Shun's father?" he wondered aloud.

"Didn't I already tell you?" Ranka asked with a slightly surprised expression. After receiving several shakes of the head, he sighed, flipping his scarf with an air of superiority. "Why, Akio, of course."

* * *

As Shun wandered away from the meat counter after purchasing a package of raw pork belly, she could faintly hear the signature incoherent ramblings of Tamaki. (She had noticed the host club attempting to inconspicuously sneak past her, but she ultimately decided to keep it to herself, believing it would be funny when Haruhi caught them.) Chuckling quietly to herself, she made her way over to the front of the store where a display of flower bouquets stood. The plastic wrapping around a posy of daffodils crinkled as she picked it up and inspected it, turning it around in her hands. _Maybe mom would like these. She does love the color yellow, but she likes blue more, and the bouquet with hydrangeas is expensive—_

Suddenly, she felt a light pressure on her head. Turning slightly, she saw Hikaru smirking at her as he ruffled her hair. He then pointed at the bouquet in her hands with an inquisitive look.

"What's with the flowers?" he asked.

"They're for my mom," Shun replied as she placed the daffodils back on the table where they were before. "I'm planning to visit home tomorrow, and I wanted to get her something." Quickly, she snapped her head up and glared at Hikaru. "Don't even think about following me. I'm already tired enough from today!"

Hikaru pouted childishly. "Fine." Then, out of nowhere, a sudden flurry of colors was thrust in front of his face. He could vaguely identify splashes of blue and yellow in his field of vision. Pushing them down so he could see, he peered at Shun with a slightly annoyed expression.

"What was that for?"

He could have sworn that a dust of pink ran across Shun's cheeks—it was gone in an instant. "Pick one," she ordered.

"Huh?"

Shun scowled and held the bundles of flowers up to Hikaru's face again. "Which one is better?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Hikaru pointed at the bouquet of periwinkle hydrangeas. "Those, I guess."

Shun narrowed her eyes at him briefly, before turning away and marching over to the cashier. As she pulled a few crumpled paper bills from her wallet, Hikaru stood behind her and placed his elbow on her shoulder, watching the cashier hand Shun her change with a bored expression. Just as the pair turned away, the cashier smiled brightly.

"You two make such a cute couple!" she chirped, placing her hands on her cheeks as she sighed adoringly.

Hikaru stiffened immediately, using practically all of his willpower to not blush like a fool. Shun, seeing his obvious embarrassment, decided to make it worse by plucking a hydrangea flower out of the bouquet and placing it behind his ear. Before he could even react, she whipped her phone out of her back pocket, snapped a photo, and sprinted away, snickering to herself all the while. For some reason, Hikaru couldn't find it in himself to be angry—not when Shun was laughing and having a good time. _I can't figure out why_ , he wondered.

* * *

 **One hour later...**

* * *

Ranka sat at the end of the living room table, the soup in his bowl growing cold as he stared up at the ceiling.

He thought back to when he and the hosts had been at the supermarket, where he watched with a melancholic gaze as Haruhi giggled at something Tamaki had said. When he turned away, he was only met with the sight of Shun and Hikaru laughing together. _I know it's going to happen eventually. One day, those precious girls will be all grown up, and they'll want to have that special someone by their side._

Lowering his gaze, Ranka observed the dinner scene with a content smile. Next to him, Tamaki was weeping at the enormous heap of chrysanthemum leaves in his bowl while Haruhi sighed, and next to _them_ , Shun was discreetly piling meat into Hikaru's bowl as per his request. Chuckling quietly to himself, Ranka finally began eating. _Although I've already given them enough hassle, I can't imagine what Akio will think of these boys. Well, as long as Shun approves of them, perhaps there's nothing to worry about._

* * *

 **Another hour later...**

* * *

After an eternity of cleaning dishes and forcing the host club out of her house, Shun collapsed on the living room floor with an exhausted sigh, spreading her limbs out like a starfish. Haruhi sat adjacent to her, sipping on a cup of tea quietly.

"It took _forever_ to get those guys to leave," Shun complained, rolling over so that she laid on her stomach.

Haruhi set down her teacup on the coffee table. "I can't believe that Tamaki-senpai managed to spill almost all of his stew. The table still smells like pork broth!"

Shun laughed. "You can't blame him for getting so flustered—you're the one who's always acting so cute around him! Plus, it was hilarious!" Suddenly remembering something, Shun dug into her back pocket and yanked out her phone. "That reminds me, I got this amazing picture of Hikaru at the supermarket!" Pulling up the photo, Shun proudly showed it off to Haruhi, who covered her mouth as she snorted. Shun then swiped to the left, revealing a picture of Kaoru lying on the floor as he guffawed at Hikaru's dumbfounded expression. "I took this one, too!"

Haruhi's chuckles turned into full-blown laughter as Shun searched through the other photos in her phone. After her giggles had died down, Haruhi yawned and straightened up, stretching her arms as she made her way to the bedroom. "I'm gonna turn in early. Having the host club around was way more tiring than I thought it'd be."

"'Kay," Shun said, her gaze still glued to the phone screen. After a few minutes, her eyelids began to grow heavy with fatigue. As she stood up, her foot bumped against something. Bending down to look at it, her eyes narrowed as she recognized the object. _Hikaru's phone. He must have left it here accidentally._ Shrugging her shoulders, Shun pocketed it and continued on her way. _I'll just give it back to him on Tuesday._

* * *

 _What Shun didn't know is that it may not have been an innocent accident at all..._

* * *

 **Sorry for how short this chapter is, but it's mainly acting as a preamble to what will happen in the** ** _next_** **chapter. I tried to sweeten the deal a little with a cute moment, but that can only do so much, right?**


	20. The Host Club Experiences New Travels!

**I'm shocked that this story has 45 favorites and 77 follows! That's more than I ever expected, and the reviews are just amazing! Thank you so much!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Host Club Experiences New Travels!**

* * *

Haruhi blinked her eyes sleepily, roused by a metallic clang that followed after a harsh (and quite explicit) swear. After sitting up in bed, Haruhi noticed Shun's futon was empty. _What time is it?_ One look at the electronic clock on the floor told her it was 9:30. _You've got to be kidding me._ With begrudging slowness, Haruhi swung her legs out of bed and stood up, covering her mouth as she yawned. Quietly closing the door behind her, Haruhi made her way into the kitchen, where Shun was nursing a bruised foot.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Haruhi murmured tiredly, switching on the stove and placing a kettle on top of it.

"Omelette rice, please," Shun mumbled, rubbing the top of her foot gently.

As Haruhi heated the leftover rice from the day before, Shun scooted into the living room, dragging her duffel bag behind her. Rifling through it, she made a mental note of everything that she needed to bring. _Wallet, train card, flowers..._ Turning around, she nodded in affirmation at the hydrangea bouquet next to her, carefully wrapped inside a plastic grocery bag.

Haruhi walked into the living room, carrying a full plate in each hand. After setting them on the table, she plopped down on the opposite side of Shun. Before Haruhi even took her first bite, Shun had already wolfed down the meal and darted into the bedroom.

"Shun, what's the rush?" Haruhi called.

Shun popped her head out from behind the door. "The earliest train that'll take us to Shinjuku Station leaves in an hour!"

"But why do you want to leave so soon?"

Shun, now fully dressed, kneeled in front of Haruhi and placed her hands on her shoulders with a serious expression. "Hikaru left his phone here last night, which means that he'll want to come back and get it."

Haruhi's confused expression soon morphed into an appalled one. "That means..."

Shun nodded her head fervently. "The host club is going to come with him!"

Immediately understanding the situation, Haruhi hurried into the bathroom to get dressed while Shun collected the dirty plates and haphazardly threw them into the sink. A minute later, Haruhi returned, both her and Shun's coats draped over one arm. As Haruhi tugged her button-down sweater on, Shun scribbled down a quick note for Ranka, snatched Haruhi by the elbow, yanked open the door, and slammed it behind her—well, almost, but she caught herself in the nick of time and silently pulled the door closed.

* * *

 **30 minutes later...**

* * *

Hikaru and Kaoru stood outside the Fujioka residence and rang the doorbell. Slowly, the door creaked open, revealing a tired Ranka behind it. His makeup was half on, as he was in the midst of getting ready to leave for work.

"What are you two doing here?" Ranka inquired curiously.

"I left my phone here by accident yesterday," Hikaru said.

"Are Shun and Haruhi there?" Kaoru asked.

Ranka smiled politely as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, they're not home today. They ran off to the train station a little while ago."

"Where are they going?" the twins questioned simultaneously.

"Oh, to visit Shun's parents," Ranka answered with a wave of his hand.

"Ah, we see," they said. "We're sorry for bothering you. We'll be on our way!"

Ranka chuckled. "There's no need to apologize, boys. Well, I hope to see you soon!"

After the door shut, Kaoru whipped his phone out of his pocket. "Did you get all that, boss? Haruhi and Shun are at the train station!"

"Good work, men!" Tamaki praised from inside the group call. "Kyouya, when does their train leave?"

"We've got about 30 minutes," Kyouya replied calmly. "However, I still don't understand why we need to visit them again—we just saw them yesterday."

Tamaki ignored Kyouya's complaint. "Alright, everyone—we all need to gather at the train station in fifteen minutes! This way, we'll have extra time to navigate the intricate mazes of a commoner's subway!"

"Right!"

* * *

 **At the train station...**

* * *

Shun sighed with content as she plopped down onto a bench. Despite how noisy and crowded the subway was, she couldn't think of anything more peaceful. Haruhi sat beside Shun with much more grace, pulling out a paperback book from her bag.

Shun could feel her eyelids beginning to grow heavy, as she had woken up far too early in the morning. _I'll just take a quick nap..._

Only a second after she drifted off, Shun's eyes darted open at the sound of familiar voices.

"So _this_ is what a commoner's subway looks like?"

"Wow, I've never seen something so small and crowded before!"

Tamaki suddenly stopped and held out his arm in front of the other hosts. "Now, all we need to do is find Haruhi and Shun!"

Kyouya's glasses shimmered. "It looks like your work is done for you." He gestured at the figure that stood in front of the group.

Immediately, Tamaki and the twins leapt forward happily. "Shun!"

" _What are you_ ** _idiots_** _doing here..._ " Shun ground out darkly, her fists shaking as she struggled to keep her composure.

The hosts flinched back at her tone. "W-Well, we just wanted to see you..." Tamaki stuttered.

"She's so scary!" the twins whispered, shivering slightly.

"Is she angry at us?" Honey's voice trembled with fear.

Slowly, Shun marched over to Tamaki, backing him and the rest of the host club into a corner. (Somewhere in the background, Haruhi sighed.) " _Listen to me. I do not have the patience to deal with you today. Leave right now, or else I'm going to_ ** _lose it!_** "

A collective shudder ran through the hosts, completely freezing them in their spots. Luckily, before Shun could kill anybody with her glare, Mori stepped forward calmly.

"We've already bought our tickets," he said.

After a terrifyingly long pause, Shun sucked in a large breath and exhaled. "Fine, you can come along, but just," she sighed, "don't bother me."

"Thank you, Shun!" Tamaki and the twins chirped, joyful tears running down their faces. Shun brushed them off dismissively as she made her way back to Haruhi, who collected their bags and stood up.

"Come on, guys, the train's leaving soon!" Haruhi called, waving the hosts over to an open door.

After many accidental touches and awkward apologies, the group eventually managed to squeeze into an open corner of the train, but not without having to cram closely together. Haruhi was able to snag a seat before anyone else could get to it. Kyouya sat next to her, and despite looking like the most calm out of everyone, he was the most disgruntled. Tamaki and Kaoru were standing, holding onto the handles above their heads. Tamaki was attempting to cover up his embarrassment at being so close to Haruhi while Kaoru teased him mercilessly. Mori was also standing, acting as an anchor for Honey to cling to like a koala. Meanwhile, Hikaru and Shun were trapped in the corner. Shun was close enough to Hikaru that if she were to lean forward only a centimeter, her nose would bump against his chest. Hikaru's face burned just from thinking about it. To make it worse, she looked especially cute today, what with her black, high-waisted shorts and how she was practically dwarfed in her denim letterman jacket. So, to put it simply, everyone except for Haruhi was unhappy about their arrangements.

Hikaru, in an attempt to distract himself, inspected his surroundings. A couple of posters were plastered on the windows of the subway, organized to look neat despite their outlandish colors. As he skimmed over an advertisement for mobile phones, Hikaru caught a shuffling movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he noticed a student who looked to be about 19 edging his way closer to Shun. Eventually, the kid moved forward enough so that he stood right behind her. Hikaru felt his stomach churn at the lecherous grin he was wearing—he was practically stripping her down with his eyes. Slowly, the kid's hand inched forward, sneaking closer and closer to Shun's thigh.

" _Yotsuya Station! Yotsuya Station!_ "

As people began filtering out of the open doors, Hikaru took the opportunity to maneuver himself in front of Shun, shielding her from the pervert's greedy gaze. Quickly, Hikaru shot a glare at the lowlife, who quivered beneath his scathing expression. After the creep had disappeared, Hikaru turned back to face Shun, who was shivering ever so slightly.

Slowly, Shun leaned her head forward so that it rested against Hikaru's chest. "Thanks, Hikaru," she whispered.

Cheeks pinking slightly, Hikaru sighed and placed his hand on top of Shun's head. "Don't mention it," he mumbled.

* * *

 **20 minutes later...**

* * *

" _Shinjuku Station! Shinjuku Station!_ "

After the host club had bumped and shoved their way through the train's doors, Tamaki pointed his finger at the ceiling. (Almost everyone nearby glanced at the group with bewildered gazes, much to the embarrassment of Shun and Haruhi.) "Alright, men! Now that we've braved the harsh conditions of a commoner's subway, we must combine our efforts in order to navigate our way out of this train station!"

Honey pointed at a nearby sign. "Hey, look—I found the stairs!"

Dejected, Tamaki dragged behind the rest of the hosts, following Honey as he directed them to the exit. After scaling the final set of stairs, the group found themselves facing a busy road.

"Now what?" the twins asked.

Shun shuffled through her duffel bag, pulling out a crumpled map. "Well, there should be a bus coming around over there—"

"To the bus station!" Tamaki ordered as he militarily marched in the direction that Shun pointed. Haruhi and Shun followed behind, their faces blank as they watched the host club nearly charge into oncoming traffic.

"Do you really think it was a good idea to bring these guys?" Haruhi muttered.

At her question, Shun's mind immediately returned to the incident during the train ride. _What would have happened if Hikaru wasn't there? I mean, I might've been able to protect myself, but still..._ She shook her head to dismiss the thought and sighed. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it now."

* * *

 **Ten minutes later...**

* * *

Luckily, the bus wasn't as crowded as Shun expected. As soon as they had all settled themselves in their seats, about half of the host club fell asleep. Honey was taking his mid-morning nap while Mori snoozed next to him. Haruhi, in the process of nodding off, rested on Tamaki's shoulder, and he prayed in gratitude to every deity that existed. Shun had conked out as soon as she sat down, completely drained despite it only being around 11:00.

As the bus jostled at a road bump, Shun's head fell against Hikaru's shoulder. Hikaru was slightly irked by the discomfort, but it wasn't like he could do anything without waking her up. With a defeated sigh, Hikaru leaned back and closed his eyes for a quick nap.

By the time the bus had reached its destination, Hikaru and Shun were nestled against each other comfortably, with Hikaru's cheek pressed against the top of Shun's head while she curled into his side. However, since the bus' abrupt stop was nothing close to quiet, it woke both of them up.

Blinking her eyes sleepily, Shun attempted to sit up straight, but she was weighted down by something. As she slowly began to realize what it was, her face burned fiercely. Standing up suddenly, her head knocked against Hikaru's chin, causing him to snap awake immediately.

"Ow... why'd you have to stand up so quickly?" he griped, rubbing his sore chin as he stood.

"If we waited any longer, we would have missed our stop," Shun grumbled, following the rest of the host club as they exited.

The other hosts observed their surroundings after leaving the bus. They seemed to be in a more rural area, as there were many trees that lined the road.

"So, where do we go now?" Tamaki asked, swiveling around to face Shun and Haruhi.

"Just follow us, okay?" Shun said as she began to walk, the hosts trailing behind like ducklings. _We must look so strange_ , Shun thought to herself.

Eventually, the group stopped at a medium-sized house that looked to be a mix between modern and traditional. The worn, wooden door produced a sharp sound when Shun knocked on it.

After a minute or two, she could hear heavy steps approaching. As the door opened slowly, the other hosts were shocked at what they saw.

Standing in the open doorway was the scariest man they had ever seen. He didn't have the appearance of a demon, nor was he wielding a weapon—it was just his physique. He must have been at least six feet tall, which was already intimidating enough—not to mention his sturdy stature, accompanied by a gaze that could cut metal. The man's eyes softened at the sight of Shun and Haruhi, but they soon narrowed just as quickly. Walking forward slowly, he glared down at the terrified hosts.

"Who the hell are you?"

* * *

 **Sorry if this chapter seemed a little OOC. I'm trying my hardest to improve!**


	21. Shun's Unpleasant Home Visit!

**First of all, I am so sorry for such a long wait! However, you still stuck with me, so I am thankful for that. Hopefully, I won't be stupid next time and I'll actually plan ahead.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Shun's Unpleasant Home Visit!**

* * *

"Who the hell are you?"

The hosts trembled with fear as the mysterious man glared down at them menacingly. After a beat of silence had passed and no answer came, the man growled and stepped forward.

" _Who the hell are you?_ "

Shun sighed and pressed her hand against the man's arm. "It's okay, dad, I know these guys."

" ** _Dad?!_** " Tamaki and the twins gasped loudly, much to Shun's annoyance.

After recovering from his initial shock, Tamaki's natural gentlemanly spirit kicked in as he cleared his throat and held an open hand out. "That means you must be Akio! It's so nice to finally meet—"

" _How did you know my name?_ " Akio snapped abruptly, causing Tamaki to jump at least three feet in the air.

"Dad," Shun said warningly, "don't be rude. These guys are friends with me and Haruhi."

As Akio stared at the group of boys on his doorstep, a light of recognition flitted in his eyes. He briefly glanced down at his daughter, a slightly surprised look on his face. With a sigh, he placed a hand on Shun's head and turned to reenter his house. "Fine, they can come in," he conceded, before angling his chin to glare at the terrified hosts. "One wrong move, and you're _out_ of here—understand?"

The hosts collectively gulped and nodded their heads militarily, following Akio from a safe distance. As they slipped off their shoes at the entrance, the hosts took some time to look around.

To the left of the hallway that they stood in, there was the kitchen, with a potted morning glory hanging from the white cupboards above the stove. A kettle sat on top of it, steam curling from its spout. In the corner, there was a quaint wooden table with three chairs, one of which was pulled out as if someone had just been sitting in it. Next to the kitchen, there was a broad space that acted as the living area, which was as sparsely decorated as the previous room was. At the end of the hallway, there was a narrow flight of stairs leading to the upper floor.

"Man, what a hovel," Hikaru muttered under his breath. Just a second later, both Shun and Akio's heads turned slowly to glare at him.

"What was that?" they growled simultaneously.

Hikaru quickly shook his head. "Uh, nothing..."

Snickering slightly, Kaoru leaned over to whisper in Tamaki's ear. "There's no doubt that those two are family!"

Shun grit her teeth at Kaoru's comment, but she decided to ignore it. They were lucky enough that her father hadn't noticed the subtle quip—he would have wrung their necks without hesitation. Gently slipping her arms through her jacket with a sigh, Shun draped it on the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen and proceeded to shrug her duffel bag off, setting it down on the table next to the wrapped hydrangeas. As she rifled through her bag to check that everything was still in its place, she was reminded of the hosts' presence by the sound of awkward shuffling behind her.

"You guys can just... sit in the living room." Shun waved at the aforementioned place before clearing her throat nervously and picking up her bags.

The hosts managed to fit themselves on the small sofa, although Honey had to sit on Mori's lap. Akio sat in the leather armchair in front of them, his gaze cold as he tapped his fingers against it. The air between them was uncomfortably tense.

"I'll make some tea," Haruhi said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Shun glanced at Haruhi briefly and nodded in agreement. "Uh, yeah! That's a good idea!" She covertly gestured at the staircase. "Why don't we go and get the... the fancy tea... that's upstairs?"

Haruhi caught on to Shun's ploy and made her way over to the staircase, and the two girls hurriedly scuttled up the stairs. Once hidden from view, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"The air down there is so tense..." Haruhi remarked.

Shun sighed. "I just hope dad goes easy on them."

* * *

 **Downstairs...**

* * *

After a good few minutes of horribly awkward silence punctuated by Akio's slow tapping, Tamaki finally decided to speak up. "Again, it's very nice to meet you! I'm Tamaki Su—" he began, but was cut off when Akio held a hand up.

"I already know who all of you are," he said. After a silent pause, he sighed and placed his hands on his knees. "I'm not going to beat around the bush. I don't trust any of you, and I doubt I ever will."

The twins leaned forward, polite (although strained) smiles on their faces. "Sir, we can assure you that we would never do anything to harm your daughter."

" _Don't interrupt me_ ," Akio growled darkly, causing their jaws to snap shut. "I don't like your types—the types who look down on folks who have to work harder than you ever will just to put food on the table. I also don't like the fact that you use manipulation to get what you want."

Tamaki stood up quickly. "Sir, with all due respect, we're not like that at all!" he said earnestly.

Akio snarled as he rose out of his chair, his shadow towering over Tamaki. "You're not like that, huh? If that's true, then explain to me how my daughter willingly joined your club, about how she was given an open choice!" As Tamaki slowly sunk back down in his seat, Akio huffed. "That's what I thought."

Falling back into his chair, Akio squared his shoulders and leaned forward intimidatingly. "You listen to me now. Shun is my pride and joy and one of the most important people in my life. If I _ever_ catch word of her coming into harm's way, all of you are **_dead!_** _Do you understand me?_ "

Despite the fact that Akio was addressing the entire host club, it seemed like he was singling out the select three that caused the most mischief. The said trio gulped, nodding their heads rapidly.

At their quick agreement, Akio loosened his stature and leaned back. "The same goes for Haruhi. If anything happens to her, then you'll have to answer to Ranka _and_ me. And don't even _think_ about falling in love with them!" He narrowed his eyes and pointed at Tamaki, who flinched back in response. "I'm looking at you, Prince Charming. Ranka's already told me _all_ about you, so don't expect me to play nice!"

The twins snickered as Tamaki lamented at the fact that now _two_ fathers hated him. However, Hikaru's laughing stopped as he noticed Akio glaring at him, as if he were sizing him up. Then, he made an 'I'm watching you' gesture, using two fingers to point back and forth between his eyes and Hikaru's—for whatever reason, Hikaru didn't know.

As if satisfied, Akio huffed and stood up, heading into the kitchen. Before he reached it, an angry voice called him out.

"Dad, what was that?!"

Akio stiffened, turning around slowly to face his fuming daughter. "What do you mean?"

Shun crossed her arms over her chest. "I _mean_ that whole conversation you just had! Why are you being so rude to them?"

Akio's shoulders drooped slightly. "I wasn't being rude, I was protecting you!"

"I can take care of myself just fine! These guys have been polite to you this whole time, and you're just throwing it back in their faces!"

The hosts watched in shock as Shun scolded her father, who also happened to be one of the most terrifying men on the planet. To make it even more topical, said terrifying man seemed to take on the act of a puppy whose owner was chastising him.

As the two bickered, Haruhi set down cups of tea in front of the dumbfounded hosts. "It's like this all the time, so you'll have to get used to it."

"Now apologize!" Shun ordered.

Akio straightened up and crossed his arms, staring down at them. "I was out of line," he huffed, before disappearing into the kitchen.

Shun sighed and rubbed her forehead. Then, turning to face the host club, she bowed slightly. "Sorry, he gets really overprotective sometimes."

The boys quietly sipped their tea, too scared to say anything in fear of Akio overhearing. Shun exhaled again and retreated into the bathroom upstairs while Haruhi chatted with the hosts.

Once the bathroom door closed, Shun gingerly slipped her right arm through her shirt sleeve and peered at her shoulder hesitantly. A small patch of skin on her shoulder was colored a sickly purple, with traces of yellow and green on the edges. When she pressed lightly on the area, the bruise throbbed with pain. Gripping the edge of the sink until her knuckles turned white, Shun grit her teeth until the ache ebbed away. _This can't happen, not now! Not when I have a game coming up!_ Opening the cupboards, Shun searched through them frantically. All of the bottles she found were either empty or expired. Finally, she heard a rattle come from one of the containers in her grasp—ibuprofen. Just as Shun swallowed a pill, her father's voice called from below.

"Shun! Where are you?"

"I'll be down in a second!" she shouted back, before her gaze returned to the box in her hand. _This better work out_ , she thought to herself as she popped a second pill in her mouth.

* * *

 **Downstairs...**

* * *

"What is she even doing up there?" Akio muttered as he poured himself a cup of tea. Grumbling, he trudged into the living room and plopped down on his armchair. The sudden move caused the hosts to startle out of their stupor, only to fear for their lives at the presence of the man in front of them.

"Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you," Akio said, taking a sip from his cup.

Kyouya, who had been silent for the duration of the visit, suddenly spoke up. "Mr. Inoue, I can assure you that your daughter is in safe hands."

The cup cracked in Akio's grip. "What do you mean safe _hands?!_ " At the other hosts' terrified expressions, he sighed gruffly and placed his cup down. "Sorry, I know you mean well. It's just that... this whole time, I thought _I_ was going to be the one to protect her. But, if you're really serious about this, then there is something you should know."

Honey tilted his head curiously. "What is it?"

Akio sighed and rested his head on his hand. "Shun's foolish. She overthinks her strength and tries to do things that she can't, despite the fact that she's weaker than she likes to believe. Even the smallest of failures can cause her to doubt herself, and it becomes nearly impossible to pull her out of it. Luckily, she's too stubborn to let it happen very often, but nobody can predict the future. I won't always be there for her when she needs me, which is why..." Akio inhaled, as if he regretted what he was about to say. "I'm putting my faith in you."

Joyful tears ran down Tamaki's face, the twins following suit beside him. "Oh, thank you!" they chorused. "We won't let you down!"

" ** _Shut up!_** " Akio barked at them. "Look, all I want is for Shun to be happy, and for some strange reason, you idiots seem to do just that. I want it to stay that way."

Tamaki and the twins nodded their heads quickly, but they still had an elated air around them. Then, all of the hosts (besides Kyouya and Haruhi) saluted at Akio militarily, determined expressions on their faces. "Yes, sir! We understand, sir!"

"What are you guys doing?" Shun muttered as she stepped down the stairs, her hands stuffed in her pockets.

Akio stood up before they could answer. "What's in your mouth?"

Shun realized that she still had the pill in her cheek. "Gum," she answered sharply, before walking into the kitchen and picking up the wrapped hydrangeas.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Hikaru piped up from the living room.

Shun hesitated. "I'm gonna visit my mom," she said blankly. With a resigned sigh, she asked, "Do you want to come with me?"

Tamaki immediately sprang up from the couch. "What a wonderful idea, Shun! It's so kind of you to offer!"

As he and the other hosts walked past her to the door, Shun sighed. "It's not like I could _not_ invite you," she muttered. She glanced at Akio and pointed at the door. "Are you coming, dad?"

Chuckling slightly, Akio waved his hand. "Nah, your mother would probably yell at me for seeing her so often." He watched as Shun shrugged her shoulders and followed behind the rest of the hosts. As Shun laughed at something Hikaru had said, Akio turned away and shuffled into the kitchen, pouring tea into the cracked cup in his hand. _Now that I think about it, I probably should've thanked them. Oh, well._

* * *

 **This chapter was a little fast-paced, but I hope it was enjoyable! It turned out a little sadder than I wanted to, but maybe that's just me.**


	22. Their Long Day Comes To An End!

**Finally finished this chapter, and I have once again come to the conclusion that I am human garbage. I'm so sorry for the long wait, but there might have to be more in the future as my free time will become more scarce.**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Their Long Day Comes To An End!**

* * *

Shun sighed as she trudged along the sidewalk, Haruhi walking next to her and the hosts trailing behind. All she wanted was a peaceful day _alone_ with her family, but now she was bringing the hosts to meet her mother. _How did things turn out like this?_

"Shun, where are we even going?" Kaoru piped up, interrupting Shun's thoughts. "Is your mother at work or something?"

Shun scratched her cheek nervously as she cast a glance at Haruhi. "Not exactly..."

"Then, are your parents divorced?" Hikaru asked.

Tamaki quickly smacked both twins upside the head. "Stop pestering Shun!" he scolded. "If it was important, then she would tell us! Right, Shun?"

At Tamaki's hopeful face, Shun turned away with a blank expression. "Even if it was important, I still wouldn't tell you." As Tamaki let out an offended gasp, Shun stopped walking and shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter, anyway. We're here."

The host club halted immediately to stare at their location in confusion. In front of them stood an enormous structure, its walls painted a pristine white. Its shadow loomed over the hosts, and they could clearly read the characters for 'Asahi Hospital' written on the face of the building.

Shun and Haruhi did not seem to find anything strange about it at all, and they nonchalantly strolled over to the swinging doors at the entrance. Noticing that the boys were still rooted in their spots, Shun impatiently beckoned them over. The hosts glanced at each other in apparent apprehension before following her into the hospital.

Once inside, Shun ordered the hosts to stay put while she and Haruhi approached the receptionist. The said receptionist's face lit up with recognition upon seeing Shun.

"Oh, Shun! How nice to see you again!" she chirped. "Here to visit your mother?"

Smiling politely, Shun gestured offhandedly at the hosts that had accumulated behind her. Much to her chagrin, Kyouya was reading a pamphlet on the hospital's organization, Tamaki and the twins were marveling at how minimalistic everything was, and Honey was excitedly flipping through a children's picture book, showing off his favorite pages to Mori. _These guys are the complete opposite of inconspicuous._ "Is it alright if they come with me?" Shun asked, her voice akin to that of an exhausted babysitter.

The receptionist stifled a laugh and nodded cheerily, moving to type something into her computer. Then, she turned back to Shun with a bright smile. "Your mother is in room 304."

After thanking the woman, Shun made her way to the elevators and pressed one of the buttons. She then squared her shoulders and swiveled around to face the host club.

"Listen, my mother is a bit... cutthroat," she admitted sheepishly.

"If even _Shun_ thinks her mother is cutthroat—" Hikaru began.

"—then that means she's the real deal!" Kaoru shivered mockingly and snickered alongside his brother.

" ** _Shut up!_** " Shun growled angrily, before sighing with defeat. "Look, she makes snap judgements about people and can be a little intimidating. Just," she paused as the elevators doors opened, "be on your best behavior."

With that last bit of advice, the hosts all joined Shun in the elevator as the doors slowly closed behind them.

* * *

 **Ten minutes later...**

* * *

The hosts all stared in shock at the image before them.

 _Cutthroat?_

 _Snap judgements?_

 _Intimidating?_

The hospital room was decorated with numerous flower bouquets, each one a different shade of blue. They were everywhere—sat on the counter, perched on the windowsill, tucked into the corner. There was even one in a wicker basket hanging from the IV drip beside the bed.

In the center of all the gorgeous fauna was a woman sitting up in the bed, a small book clutched in her hands. She had a remarkably youthful face, framed by the auburn hair that ended at her chin, and her beauty was enough to put the man-made garden surrounding her to shame. Hearing shuffling movements, the woman closed her book and looked up expectantly. The edges of her eyes crinkled as she smiled upon seeing Shun and Haruhi.

"What a wonderful surprise!" she said happily, clapping her hands together. Then, she beckoned the two girls over with a wave of her hand. As they settled beside her, she took both of their hands and encased them in her own. "You two have grown even more beautiful than the last time I saw you!"

"Thank you, you're looking very well yourself!" Haruhi said politely, while Shun meekly ducked her head, attempting to hide the growing blush on her face.

The woman laughed and reached over to Shun, pinching her cheek lovingly. "Don't be so shy, Shun. You know it's true!"

Shun squirmed until her mother relinquished her hold and coughed awkwardly. "We, uh, brought company."

Shun's mother turned to look at the hosts standing in the doorway, as if she hadn't noticed them before. Smiling sweetly, she waved at the boys. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Shun's mother, Rei Inoue."

Snapping out of their stupor, the hosts suddenly began bombarding Rei with greetings and compliments. Despite the fact that they were all trying to talk at the same time, Rei answered all of them at a flawless tempo.

"Hi, we're the Hitachiin twins! We're friends of your daughter."

"Well, the two of you certainly are handsome. Hikaru is the left, and Kaoru the right, I presume?"

"What? How did you know?"

"I just had a feeling. Oh, and you, the one with the glasses—you're Kyouya Ootori, right?"

"Yes, that is correct. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Inoue."

"Please, call me Rei. I once paid a visit to one of your family's hospitals, and I must say, your work has been stellar!"

"Wow, you're really pretty, Mrs. Inoue!"

"Oh, aren't you adorable! I have to admit, you are a lot smaller than what I imagined when Shun described you to me, but that doesn't matter."

With every passing moment, Shun fell deeper and deeper into a dark pit of regret. _With the rate things are going, we're going to be stuck here for hours._ Noticing Tamaki waiting for a chance to work his hosting charm, Shun and Haruhi both groaned. _Here it comes._

Tamaki flipped his bangs proudly, striding over to Rei with an air of superiority. He may have lost his chance at earning Akio's good graces, but he definitely would not miss this opportunity as well!

"Mrs. Inoue, it is of my utmost pleasure to meet you. I am Tamaki Suoh." Gently, he picked up Rei's hand and placed a feather-light kiss on top of it.

Shun smacked her hand against her forehead. _Not this song and dance again._

"You know," Tamaki said, "you are much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined."

Rei giggled, her laugh chiming like bells. "Well, aren't you the charmer? You really are a wonderful group of young men. I'm glad that Shun and Haruhi have friends like you." Coughing slightly, Rei pat her chest and turned to Shun. "Shun, dear, could you get me some water? All of this talking has worn out my voice."

"Yeah, sure," Shun said as she stood up, stretching her arms over her head.

As the door closed, Rei noticed everyone's slightly worried looks. "Don't worry about me," she reassured them. "The only reason I'm in the hospital so often is because I have a weak immune system, so I get sick very easily. That being said, I can't really be around Shun very much. I can't stop her from being reckless, and there's not much I can do to protect her." Suddenly, Rei's voice dropped into a serious tone, keeping just enough edge to unnerve the hosts. "I hope that you understand."

It was at this moment that the hosts understood what Shun meant about her mother being cutthroat and intimidating. Her demeanor reminded them of a snake, coiled in hiding and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Rei, seeing the startled looks on the hosts' faces, sighed and placed a hand on her forehead. "I've done it again. I'm sorry if I've frightened you—I think Akio is rubbing off on me too much." She smiled apologetically before looking down at her clasped hands. "You've done nothing but be polite, and there's no reason I should be worried about Shun's relations with you, but... it's the fact that you seem so kindhearted that worries me."

"What do you mean?" Tamaki asked.

Rei exhaled slowly. "Shun is extremely selfless, almost to the point where it's a fault. She would do anything for the people she cares about." She gestured to the garden of blue flowers around her as an example. "If you asked her to cut off her arm, I'm sure she would not hesitate. She would even do something as reckless as throwing her future away in order to repay someone. And, since she's so stubborn, it's impossible to stop her. So, I guess what I'm asking is that you just... keep an eye on her in my place."

Tamaki's smile wavered through the river of tears running down his face. "We will, we will! I, Tamaki Suoh, will care after Shun as if she were my own daughter!"

"We're her friends, so we'll make sure she doesn't get into trouble, but—" Hikaru began.

"—Shun doesn't seem to be that self-sacrificing of a person, at least not from what we've seen!" Kaoru assured her.

Rei looked at them skeptically before pointing to the doorway. As if on cue, the door slammed open. Shun panted heavily as she bent over and rested one hand on her knee, holding up a styrofoam cup in the other.

"What took you so long?" Hikaru asked as he approached her, taking the cup from her hand.

After a minute of collecting herself, Shun straightened up. "Well, there were only vending machines on this floor, and I didn't have any money left, so I asked where the water dispensers were. Someone told me there was one on the seventh floor, but the elevator went out of order, so I walked up the stairs. And I fell a couple of times. It took me a while, but at least I got the water!"

As Shun flopped down onto a chair, the hosts turned to gape at Rei. In response, she merely turned her head and took a sip from the cup nonchalantly.

* * *

 **One hour later...**

* * *

The group waved enthusiastically at Rei before Shun closed the door behind them. The hosts chattered amongst themselves happily, satisfied from the days' events. Meanwhile, Shun's shoulders drooped with exhaustion. _I just want to go home. Maybe I'll take a nap, or draw up a nice, warm bath—_

"Oh, yeah, Shun? Ranka said you took my phone after I left it behind. Can I have it back?" Hikaru nudged Shun's shoulder to get her attention.

"Huh? Oh, sure." Shun reached into her pocket to grab it, but came up empty. With a panicked expression, Shun pawed around her jacket desperately. As the dreaded realization began to sink in, Shun collapsed to the ground on her knees and let out an unintelligible sound of frustration. "I left it behind at Haruhi's house..."

* * *

 **Agh, so much character exposition. Sorry if the chapters have been repetitive, I just wanted to get the bulk of Shun's character out of the way. Please review!**


	23. The Host Club Goes To The Ball Game!

**First of all, I am so sorry that I kept you waiting for so long! However, I have a lot of things on my plate, so this story won't always be my priority. Don't worry, though. I'm not giving up on this just yet!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **The Host Club Goes To The Ball Game!**

* * *

"What's with this atmosphere?" Haruhi muttered to herself as she observed the room. It was a normal day. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened, and there was no obvious thing that could have caused this phenomenon. The host club was open for business as usual, and yet...

...everything seemed _lackluster_.

The fact that the very word was even used to describe the host club already sets off a red flag. What kind of awful, inhuman thing could have caused them to dull? Well, of course, it's not as if it was terrible. It was just that this particular day seemed so mild compared to the usual antics that took place in the third music room. However, all of this could be traced to one thing, which happened to be the same thing that everyone glanced at in unease.

Shun's empty seat.

Her guests moved in their seats, folding their hands nervously as they looked between the abandoned cup of chamomile tea on the table and the large double doors. It had been thirty minutes since the club activities started, and Shun had still failed to appear.

This wasn't the first time that Shun neglected her duties as a host. Throughout the week, her time spent working reduced little by little. Of course, everyone understood and took the news with a grain of salt, but this was getting ridiculous. Did she really have to practice **_that much?_**

After a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, Tamaki cleared his throat. "It seems that, once again, Shun will not be able to join us today. My apologies to his guests that have been patiently waiting, but we must understand that this is a crucial week for him. An important baseball game is approaching, and it is Shun's responsibility to be prepared." He cleared his throat again. "That being said, we will support him no matter the circumstances. Thank you."

Tamaki retreated to sit with his guests, while the hosts and the rest of the patrons attempted to lighten the atmosphere.

"Hey, wanna see me do a magic trick? I'm gonna make this cake disappear!" Honey chirped happily, seemingly unaffected by Shun's fourth absence.

The girls seated next to him giggled happily, their moods lifted by Honey's natural adorableness. Unfortunately, not every host hopped at the chance to laugh away the issue.

"Um, Hikaru, Kaoru, why don't we play a card game?" one girl offered hesitantly.

"Hey, that sounds like a good idea!" Kaoru brightened up considerably and turned to his brother. "Right, Hikaru?"

Hikaru had his chin in his hand, his elbow resting on the arm of the sofa. "No thanks," he drawled, his expression bored.

Kaoru, noticing his brother's gaze lying on Shun's empty seat, nudged his shoulder. "Come on, it'll be fun!" Then, under his breath, he said, "Don't worry about her. She'll be fine."

Turning his head slightly in surprise, Hikaru released a tired sigh and straightened up. "Alright, fine, but you better not cheat."

"Hey, the only one who cheats is you, Hikaru!"

The girls tittered quietly.

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

Shun rolled her sleeves up. _No, too unprofessional._ She rolled her sleeves down to cover her wrists. _No, too uncomfortable._

"Uh, captain, are you okay? You've been fidgeting for a while."

Shun snapped her head up, her eyes wide as if she'd been caught. Quickly, she cleared her throat and brushed some nonexistent dust from her sleeves. "It's nothing, I'm fine," she trailed off, before suddenly shooting up from her seat. "Team meeting!" she roared, and despite the fact that her teammates had several inches on her, they complied immediately.

After the team had gathered up, she crossed her arms and squared her shoulders. "We're going against Fukuyama Academy today! You know what they are? An athletics academy!"

"Right!"

"So what do you think they're good at?"

"Athletics!"

"Now, which team do you want to win?"

"Ours, captain!"

"Of course! And we can't do that unless everyone here today is committed! We can't afford slip-ups now! There are scouts out in that crowd watching our every move! If I see even _one_ mistake, we're doing all of our drills fifty times over! **_Let's go!_** "

" ** _Right!_** "

* * *

The roar was deafening when they stepped onto the field. Cheers from every corner of the stadium echoed throughout. There was even a separate section for the host club and their patrons, who shrieked louder than anyone else when Shun waved to the crowd. Unfortunately, the enemy team's fans shouted just as loudly. The captain leered at Shun and ran his finger across his throat. Shun merely scoffed.

As the teams took their places, everyone held their breath. The crowd was silent. The game had begun.

Shun stood tall on the pitcher's mound, watching as a rookie stepped up to the plate, his knees shaking. Then, faster than light, Shun curved her arm and threw the ball. In a split second, she felt something in her shoulder seize. Her elbow angled, and the rookie smacked the ball into the outfield. _Damn!_ She swore under her breath, rubbing her shoulder.

The Fukuyama students in the crowd cheered as the player rounded two corners. The announcers couldn't wait to leap on the strange occurrence.

"It seems like Inoue is not having a good day today! Usually a pitch like that would be expected from some of the newer players!" one announcer, Yoshimoto, said.

"Perhaps it was just a pity throw, like Inoue wanted to show them who's boss! Yeah, that's right! Fukuyama's team isn't as well-balanced as Ouran's, so there's no doubt in my mind who will win!" the other, Himura, said.

"I'm not so sure, Himura," Yoshimoto warned. "Inoue is not one to throw away runs like that. If he ever has a slip-up like that, something must be wrong."

Seated in the third row, Tamaki began chewing his nails anxiously, muttering things about 'his little girl' and 'worried about her'.

Haruhi sighed. "Tamaki, you don't have to worry so much. I think Shun knows what she's doing more than you do."

Tamaki gasped, clearly offended by Haruhi's not-meant-to-be-offensive comment. "Well, isn't it natural for a loving father to worry about his little girl? I know for a fact that— _gack!_ "

"Shut up!" Hikaru shoved Tamaki to the side. "The second inning started!"

"Wow, Hikaru! I didn't know you liked baseball that much!" Honey noted innocently, popcorn and cotton candy stuck to his face.

At Honey's comment, Hikaru's cheeks pinked, and he turned away. "I don't."

Kyouya smiled, jotting something in his notebook.

* * *

 **A while later...**

* * *

Shun was angry. Seven innings, _seven innings_ , and she hadn't struck a single player out. Seven innings, and she hadn't hit a single home run. Something was wrong, and she knew exactly what it was. _Why here, of all places? Why now, of all times!_

Her teammates suggested that she take a break. So, here she was, standing in the locker room and furiously staring at the hideous bruise that now consumed her entire shoulder. _Go away!_ She yelled in her head, as if the discolored mark would just fade away. It stayed.

With a yell, Shun stalked out of the locker room and out into the field.

One of her teammates, Matsuo, noticed her. "Oh, captain, here's your mitt—"

With a dark glower accompanied by a snarl, Shun snatched it from his hands, continuing her walk to the pitcher's mound without a second glance.

"Yeesh, what's wrong with him?" The other teammates shrugged.

"Oh, Inoue's back, and badder than ever!" Himura announced with a clap.

"Is it just me, or does he look really tense?" Yoshimoto asked.

Himura raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? He looks fine to me, if a little angry. But in that situation, who wouldn't be? It's the ninth inning and the score is 5-4!"

"No, not that. His shoulders are seized up, see? And he keeps fidgeting. If it were anyone else, I would say they're nervous! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a rare occurrence! The great Shun Inoue is actually scared about the outcome of this game!" Yoshimoto stated in disbelief.

"Don't say that! Inoue doesn't have any fears about this game, not when he can help it! Just watch, he'll prove you wrong!" At that, the two announcers sat forward, watching intensely.

Shun bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. Her nerves were on fire, and for once in her life, she was unsure. _Snap out of it, idiot!_ She raised her arm. _Fukuyama will win this game if you don't get it together!_ Shun lifted her head, only to see the captain of the enemy team tapping the bat on the ground. He stared at her with that same idiotic sneer, egging her on.

That was the last straw. All of her anger that she had bottled up burned inside her throat. _I won't let you win._

The crowd, swept up in the adrenaline of the moment, began chanting.

" ** _Come on, Shun!_** "

" ** _Go Shun, go!_** "

The host club stood from their seats.

" ** _You can do it!_** "

She smirked, despite her fatigue, despite the pearls of sweat dripping down her chin, despite the opposing captain's arrogance. With an unparalleled speed and an unrivaled strength, Shun threw her arm forward, and—

 **SNAP!**

The crowd fell silent. Every single player on the field froze. Nobody uttered a single word, except for Shun.

A cry of pain ripped from her throat as she fell to her knees, clutching her right shoulder with trembling hands. Fearfully, she glanced at her arm. It was limp. She couldn't move it at all.

Suddenly, a noise broke the silence. It was the opposing captain's obnoxious laugh as he jogged around the bases, shouting triumphantly as he leaped over home base.

Nobody said anything. Not even the students from Fukuyama cheered, nor did the announcers comment. Then, as if a chord snapped, everything spun out of control at once.

"Shun Inoue is injured! What the hell happened?"

"I have no idea! This is chaos!"

The host club rushed out of the stadium just as Shun was being led away. Haruhi immediately rushed over to help Shun, gently holding her injured shoulder. As they left, Tamaki attempted to find an explanation.

He noticed a teammate of Shun's heaving a large duffel bag over his shoulder. Tapping his shoulder, he asked, "What happened to Shun?"

The boy shook his head. "No idea, but he says he can't move his arm." As Tamaki began prodding, the boy nervously backed away. "Sorry, I don't know what else to tell ya. I gotta get the captain's stuff back to him."

Kyouya dialed somebody on his phone and walked away, speaking urgently as he went. Honey wailed, stress-eating caramel popcorn and greasy sticks of takoyaki while Mori attempted to calm him down. The twins stood anxiously, waiting for some kind of information from Kyouya, when they saw a familiar face pass by.

The captain of the Fukuyama team recognized them, and with a smirk, sauntered up to them. "Looks like your resident pretty-boy took a real beating out there. What a real shame, huh? Too bad I wasn't the one to—"

Before he could finish his taunt, Hikaru reared his fist back and punched him square in the face.

"Hikaru!" the hosts gasped in shock.

Ignoring them, Hikaru pushed his elbow beneath the captain's chin, cornering him against the wall. "You think it's funny, huh? Tell me how hilarious it really is! Go on, laugh in my face! _I dare you!_ "

Before Hikaru could break the guy's nose, Mori forcefully pulled him away. Just as he started to argue, Mori silenced him with one sentence.

"Do you think Shun would be happy about this?"

Hikaru averted his gaze, shoving his bruised hands in his pockets. The captain looked as if he wanted to say something more, but with one collective glare from the hosts, he turned tail and ran away.

Kyouya returned, snapping his cell phone shut. "I've sent a private doctor to Shun's house to check on her. I'm afraid we won't know anything until then."

Tamaki glanced at where Haruhi and Shun just were. "Then, all we can do is wait."


	24. Where Did Shun Go?

**Oh my goodness, I am so sorry this update took forever! I feel super bad, so I tried to make this chapter good. Also, I am ecstatic that this little thing I started last year has gotten over 100 favorites and follows! Thank you all so much! I would never have gotten here without you guys!**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I only own my OC.**

* * *

 **Where Did Shun Go?**

* * *

" _I am afraid the number you are trying to reach is unavailable right now. If you would like, please leave your message after the—_ "

Hikaru growled, hung up, then tried again. The host club was gathered around him, foolishly hoping that maybe this time Shun would pick up the call. This was the eleventh day she had been absent since her injury, and the only form of communication she had provided was one voicemail sent to Haruhi that simply said: 'I'm fine.'

" _I am afraid the number you are trying to reach is unavailable right now. If you would like, please leave your mess—_ "

"Damn it!" Hikaru snapped his phone shut. "Why isn't she answering?!"

"Calm down, Hikaru!" Tamaki scolded. "She's still recovering, we shouldn't be bothering her! Right, Haruhi?" He looked at her hopefully, as if she could somehow magically reveal the answer.

Haruhi exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose, a habit that was unusual of her. "I don't know. It's not normal for her to act like this. Usually when she gets an injury, she goes to the doctor, rests, then moves on. I don't..." Haruhi looked out the window aimlessly. "I don't know what's happening."

Tamaki turned to Kyouya. "Kyouya, have you tried contacting Shun's parents yet?"

He nodded. "I called Akio two days ago. He said that she was at a doctor's appointment that day, and I can confirm that. Based on the hospital's records, she actually went."

Haruhi sighed. _I'm not even gonna ask._ Then, drawing her phone out of her pocket, she flipped it open and began pressing buttons. "I'll call him right now. He might know if something happened."

Before the dial even rang once, the call was intercepted. Immediately, everyone perked up, a chorus of 'Who is it?' echoing among them.

Haruhi stared in disbelief. "It's Uncle Akio!" Quickly, she held her hand up to shush the hosts before answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Haruhi, it's Akio. Where are you right now?"

"I'm at school, why? Did something happen to Shun?"

"No, but... she's not in a good place right now."

Haruhi's grip on the phone tightened. "What do you mean?"

Akio didn't speak for a moment. Then, after a beat of silence, he said, "Please, just... come here as soon as possible."

The dial tone echoed throughout the room. Haruhi stared at her phone screen in utter confusion. Then, she yanked her bag over her shoulder and rushed out of the room. Behind her, the hosts followed in utter disbelief.

"Haruhi, what's going on?" Tamaki asked, worry lacing his tone.

"Something's wrong with Shun!" she responded, her expression uncharacteristically concerned. "I need to get to her quickly!"

Without missing a beat, Kyouya flipped his cell phone open. "I'll call for a car," he said calmly.

Stopping, Haruhi turned to him with a hesitant look, but after a moment, she nodded, and they stopped at the front gates of the school.

* * *

After an unbearably long car ride that featured Tamaki chewing down to the beds of his nails, the car finally pulled into the familiar driveway of the Inoue household. Haruhi rushed out immediately, not even bothering to pick up her school bag. The hosts trailed behind her, all in a similar state of worry.

Haruhi knocked twice before testing the doorknob. Finding it unlocked, she quickly swung the door open.

Akio stood in the kitchen, gripping the wooden countertop with white knuckles as the teapot's high-pitched squeal erupted next to him. At the sudden intrusion, he turned around, relieved, but his expression soon morphed into one of anger at the hosts' entrances.

"I didn't ask for you. Get out," he ground out between his teeth. The hosts were taken aback, and even Haruhi seemed torn between her devotion to her family and her appreciation of her friends.

As Akio stomped towards them, seemingly about to throw them out, Hikaru bravely stepped out from the group. "Where's Shun?" he asked sternly.

"Are you deaf, or just stupid?" Akio growled, his face inches from Hikaru's. "I told you to leave. I don't want you here."

A light of defiance flickered through Hikaru's eyes. Without wavering, he met Akio's gaze and calmly said, "That's most likely true, but we're her friends. We're not going to abandon her. Not now, not ever."

Akio stepped back slightly, surprised at his response. His expression softened, although his chin still held the light shadow of a grimace. Sighing, he leaned back against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He jutted his chin in the direction of the staircase. "Upstairs, make a left. First door."

Nodding in understanding, Hikaru turned away, Haruhi and the other hosts gaping in awe at this newfound side of him. As they made their way up the stairs, Kaoru grasped Hikaru's hand. It was trembling slightly, the adrenaline coursing through Hikaru's veins mixing with the slight worry he had for Shun.

Once they reached her door, Haruhi motioned for the others to be silent, then gently rapped her knuckles against the fading wood. "Shun?" she said quietly, her voice steady and calm. "It's Haruhi. Uncle Akio said your injury wasn't doing so well, so I thought I'd come over."

The hosts waited with baited breath, desperately hoping for a response. Then, quietly, a raspy voice echoed from behind the door.

"Haruhi?"

At the sound of Shun's voice, they all breathed a collective sigh. A clicking noise sounded, and the door opened only a sliver.

The moment of relief felt by the host club was just as quickly whisked away by the sight they were met with. Through the tiny opening allotted, they could see the room in complete disarray. It was as if a hurricane had swept through it. Schoolbooks were scattered about, their pages crumpled. There was trash everywhere (mainly empty snack wrappers and soda cans), as well as pastel white bottles with the remnants of torn labels on them.

But the worst sight was that of the person in front of them. Shun's eyes were soulless, her skin ghostly pale. Her cheeks were hollow, framed by unkempt brown hair. Even worse, there was a flaming bruise that was painted over her entire shoulder, with patches of sickly purple and green-tinted yellow.

As soon as Shun recognized the host club's presence, she slammed the door shut and shoved her body against it. _No, no, no, no, no! They can't see me like this, not like this! Not him, anyone but him..._

Immediately, Haruhi called for Shun. "Shun, what's wrong? You haven't been in school for a week, what happened? Please, open the door!" She attempted to push against the door, only to be roughly shoved back again.

"Nothing's wrong, I promise!" Shun answered. "Everything's fine, I'm just a little sick is all, so you can leave. Don't worry about me!"

"Shu-chan, are you sure?" Honey asked innocently. "Maybe a piece of cake will make you feel better!"

"I don't think that will help, Mitsukuni," Mori said. Honey looked confused, as if the thought that sweets couldn't solve everything never crossed his mind.

Just the thought of sugar made Shun want to throw up. "N-No thanks, Honey-senpai, I'm good. I think I just... need some time alone. I'll be okay!"

Noticing a waver in her overly cheery tone, Hikaru attempted to push open the door. "That's bullshit and you know it!" Shun flinched at the accuracy of his remark. "I'm not an idiot, I can tell that something's wrong, so just open the door already!"

A sudden rush of anger flooded Shun's senses. "Who the hell do you think you are, trying to just barge in here! I said I'm fine, and I mean it, so just leave me al—" In that instant, a surging pain rushed through her body like magma. Her muscles seized all at once, as if they were being tightly wound around a spindle by an unseen force. A cold sweat took over her, and she breathlessly collapsed against the door.

With Shun's strong force gone, Haruhi and the hosts burst through the doorway. Instantly, Haruhi was by her cousin's side, attempting to ease whatever was causing her pain.

Tamaki, in his rush, accidentally knocked over a large pile of strange white bottles. Picking one up absentmindedly, he gazed at Shun with a puzzled expression. "Shun, what are these?"

Shun curled her knees into her chest and covered her face with her hands, pulling at her hair in anguish. "I tried, I tried! I tried everything I could, but it **_didn't work!_** " she yelled to the air, before dissolving into a quaking puddle, muttering the phrases 'didn't work' and 'I tried' over and over again.

When Shun didn't elaborate further, Kyouya carefully picked one of the ambiguous white containers up, holding it between his forefinger and thumb. Then, his eyes widened with sudden realization, and he immediately pulled out his phone and began dialing a number.

Hikaru, who was crouched beside Shun with a comforting hand on her shoulder, stood up alertly. "What? What is it? What's wrong?"

Holding the phone up to his ear, Kyouya turned to Mori. "Take Shun to the bathroom. Get a cold compress and try to control her breathing."

"Wait, Kyouya, what's going on?" Tamaki asked. His question went ignored as Kyouya began speaking urgently into his cell phone receiver. This only caused him to inquire more and more incessantly, causing Kyouya to snap.

"My god, can you be any more oblivious? These bottles are ibuprofen and acetaminophen, all with the same purchase and expiration date!"

A crease of worry appeared on Tamaki's forehead at his inability to understand. "What does that mean?" he pressed urgently.

"It means she's overdosing!"

The instant Kyouya uttered the words, a horrified look came upon Haruhi's face, and she darted into the bathroom. There on the marble-tiled floor lay Shun, her body crumpling closer into itself in an attempt to quell the burning pain in her chest and stomach. Her eyes seemed empty, unaware of the tears falling in rivulets over the bridge of her nose, focused solely on the space below the sink and nothing else. Surrounding her was a translucent blue fluid—the remnants of the cold compress that seemed to have been torn open and thrown behind her head. Mori knelt beside her hesitantly, unsure of what to do and, probably for the first time in his life, genuinely fearful of what could happen.

Quickly, Haruhi took Mori's place, gently resting Shun's head in her lap. Even when Shun heaved an obscene amount of bile on the sticky floor, she did not flinch or move a single centimeter.

Just as the distant wailing of the ambulance began to make itself heard, Akio burst into the room, adding to the already established chaos.

"What the hell is going on?" As his eyes fell on the sickly body of his daughter, the host club parted down the middle and he rushed towards her, delicately cradling her in his arms as if she were a wounded bird and mumbling pleas under his breath.

Then, Shun moved. It started as a slight twitch of the fingers, then slowly, surely, she lifted her left arm. The right one stayed curled into her chest, acting as a protective barrier from an imagined danger.

Her hand strayed out weakly, like a child eagerly grasping for a toy. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she stretched farther, fingers outstretched and grasping at the air. Everyone followed the direction of her hand, and she reached... for Hikaru.

Hikaru was stunned at first, not at the fact that she was reaching for someone, but at the fact that it was _him._

Then, quietly, he knelt down, softly intertwining his fingers with hers and covering them with his other hand. Shun smiled, a lilting grin lopsided with fatigue, bright enough to dissipate the tears streaming down her face.

And she passed out.

* * *

 _What's happening? Everything hurts. It hurts so much. I want it to go away..._

 _What's that loud noise? Agh, it's too loud in here, why can't it just be quiet? It's a freaking bathroom!_

 _Someone's holding me… Dad? Why are you sad?_

 _Wait... who's that? I know that person... Hikaru!_

 _Hikaru's here! He's here..._

 _Why do I feel so happy?_

 _Am I crying?_

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


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